When Worlds Collide
by SunRei
Summary: AU. Eventual Clois cuz it’s destiny. A spin off from the Smallville mythos starting around the Spell episode of Season 4 how the SV mythos leads to Superman. Disclaimer: I own nothing! Please Review! COMPLETED! Finit.
1. Dance With a Devil

_A/N: There have been some changes to the Smallville canon to fit the story (what I would have liked to see…) You'll notice that some events happen in a different order, and at some point it strays from the continuity all together. Spoilers: Spell, Transference_

**Ch 1 – Dance With a Devil**

_"Have you ever danced with the devil in the pale moonlight?" -The Joker, Batman _

* * *

A small group of teenage boys exited the doors of the gymnasium. Laughing, a tall young man with dark hair tossed something at one of his friends as he separated from the group. With a wave, he turned and began walking toward the side of the building, where a small field separated the gym from the main school building. 

"Smallville! Nice to see ya."

Clark recognized the voice and stopped. He hadn't given any attention to the girl leaning against her car as he passed.

"Lois, what are you doing here? I thought getting you into Met U would get you out of Smallville for good," he said, dropping his gym bag in the grass as he turned to face her.

Lois smirked and walked toward him. "If I didn't know you better, my feelings might be hurt by that."

Hooking her thumbs in the belt loops of her jeans, Lois scanned the area, noticing Clark's friends in the gym's parking lot.

"I got the Cold Pizza play-by-play of the championship game, so I know football is over. Please don't tell me you've decided to become a jock strap."

Clark shrugged sheepishly. This was his senior year and he was finally being allowed to join athletic teams. After spending so much of his high school career on the outside of the 'in' crowd of jocks and cheerleaders, he felt a little embarrassed that he enjoyed his new popularity. "I, uh, decided to try out for wrestling."

"Are you serious?" Lois asked unbelievingly. "Wrestling? A bunch of boys wriggling on a mat is your idea of fun?"

Clark sighed. In selecting a sport he had to think about how well he could control his abilities. Basketball, as much as he enjoyed it, had more contact involved then football did. He didn't want a repeat of the accident that broke an opponents collarbone. Wrestling, being one-on-one competition, allowed him a greater chance of focusing. He was also getting a lot of practice in managing his strength and quickness at close range.

"I hate to think what your idea of fun is, Lois."

Deciding that the twinkle in her eyes meant that she was joking, Clark continued. "So now that we know what I'm doing here…"

"I'm waiting for Chloe. She's wrapping something up with that paper of hers. I'm out here because if I go inside, she'll make me type something- and that is definitely _not_ my idea of fun," she finished, laughing.

"Wrestling, huh?" Lois asked, doing a sweep of Clark from head to foot with her eyes. "I bet I could show you a few moves."

Trying not to blush as her gaze reached his, he crossed his arms over his chest. "Sure Lois," he responded sarcastically.

Lois raised and eyebrow. "I could," she assured him. "Black belt in judo, you know. It's not the same as crawling on a mat, but it could help your timing and coordination. You want to try?"

"No, thanks." Clark shook his head.

Lois was unlike any girl he had ever met. She and Chloe shared the art for quick witty commentary, but Lois exuded a confidence and swagger that her cousin lacked. She seemed to always get in the way and turned up when he least expected it. As he leaned to pick up his bag, a shove from behind sent him head first toward the ground. Tucking into a roll, he landed on his back. The expanse of sky above him was soon blocked from his view by the frame of Lois Lane smiling down at him.

"That's wasn't very good," she told him, reaching down to help him up. "Come on, _Clarkie_. Play with me."

His eyes narrowed at the sound of the new detested nickname. As much as hearing her call him "Smallville" grated his nerves, it was better than that mockingly sweet tone she took with "Clarkie". He couldn't help but laugh once he was standing. Besides, learning a few of her judo moves couldn't hurt.

They moved further into the field and he mimicked her stances. After a few minutes, Clark decided to show off a bit and moved in for a soft throw to get her back for the earlier shove. Exerting the tiniest bit of extra speed, he was able to get her off balance.

Lois stumbled backwards and crouched into a roll as she fell. Bracing with her hands, the roll brought her back to her feet within seconds. Clark laughed as she brushed grass off her jeans. Both of them were impressed with the other's skill.

"You learn fast," she told him, as she moved closer. Grass mingled with the strands of hair in her ponytail. "You'll like this one."

Before he knew what was happening, she had moved behind him and had a lock around his neck. Using a knee for leverage, she knocked him off-center and completed her throw. He was heavier than she compensated for, so as he fell, she went with him. With a little yelp, she landed next to him on the ground in a tangle of limbs. When they looked at each other, they both burst into laughter.

Once they calmed a bit, they moved to untangle themselves. Lois' leg was trapped underneath Clark in such a way that the best way to free it was for them to roll to the side. When they did, she found that she was lying fully on top of him.

Suddenly, both of their breathing patterns slowed and their gazes locked.

"Uh," Lois swallowed, finding her throat dry.

Neither one of them knew who moved first. It could have been Lois leaning down, or Clark leaning up, but the effect was the same. As their lips met, Clark's arms wrapped around her tightly. Lois' hands crept into his hair as the kiss deepened.

Coherent thought was impossible for Clark. He was only aware of flashes of emotions. He felt a release of a tension that he hadn't known was there flooding through his body. It was like sinking into a fluffy mattress… like floating might feel. A groan escaped from him as they briefly separated to breathe.

Lois fought the urge to make sense of what was happening. It felt too good to stop, so she pressed her lips back to his, struggling to get closer than they already were.

The feeling of their tongues meeting jolted both of them, and they pulled away, panting. At some point they had rolled, and now Clark was gazing down at her with a conflicted expression. Without speaking, they both sprang to their feet, an awkward tension settling in the air between them.

"Uh," Clark muttered, unknowingly repeating Lois' earlier statement. "I'd better be going… Should, um, help my dad…"

"Yeah," Lois nodded, raking a hand through her ponytail to remove grass. They began walking toward his bag.

"We need to talk about Chloe's surprise party… I mean, not right now, but… later…" She was uncharacteristically tongue-tied.

They were avoiding looking at each other. Clark retrieved his bag and walked with Lois back to her car. "The party, yeah… okay."

As Clark turned to go, their eyes met. Lois bit her lip and nodded to say goodbye. She watched him walk away and stood in a daze staring in the direction that he'd taken when he left.

"Sorry I took so long!"

Lois blinked and frowned at her cousin. "Huh?"

Chloe glanced in the direction Lois had been looking but saw nothing. "I said, sorry I took so long. You okay?" she asked as she studied Lois' face.

"Yeah, sorry. I just, um, was lost in thought." She reached over and pulled Chloe into a fierce hug.

Lois still sometimes had trouble reconciling the fact that Chloe hadn't died when her house blew up. It had taken her 2 months to come to terms with the report that her cousin had been killed. A report she was glad to say was greatly exaggerated. Since her dad had refused to give her any details, Lois had decided to find out for herself what happened. Her crusade sparked the trip to Smallville that led to meeting Clark Kent and saving the life of a very much alive Chloe Sullivan.

Chloe smirked as the hug ended. "You've got grass in your hair," she said as she pulled a blade from Lois' head. "What'd you do, roll in it?"

Lois shrugged and brushed it out of Chloe's hand. "Come on; I'll drive. We can come back for your car later."

As they left the parking lot, Chloe fiddled with the radio. "Where are we going?"

Lois smiled and shook her head. "Nope- not telling. We're celebrating your entrance into adulthood!"

"It's not my birthday yet."

"I know, but I can't make it down next week, so I thought we'd hang out early."

"Seriously? But I think Lana is planning a surprise party for me!"

Lois sent a dry look to her passenger. "Chlo, it's not a surprise if you know about it."

"I know, but so what. I'm _so_ excited. You sure you can't make it?" Chloe pleaded, hoping to sway her cousin with a puppy dog-eyed look.

Lois laughed. "Sorry, no can do, but hopefully this will make it up to you."

* * *

"I can't believe you even got Lana to come!" Chloe exclaimed as they pulled up outside the Sullivan's apartment building. After the night they had, Lois decided to crash at Chloe's for the night. She would drop Chloe off to get her car before she headed back to Metropolis.

"And those ID's! How did you get them?" Chloe asked, as they entered her room.

Lois glanced at her cousin out the corner of her eye. "I take the fifth on that question in fear that you might decide to do an expose on Met U's fake ID syndicate."

"I mean, I have my own, but I think the one you got me tonight is my fave," Chloe giggled, holding the card up. Lois smiled. It was a good picture at least.

"How did you come up with the name?" Chloe asked. "I mean, really… Vicki Vale?"

Lois rolled her eyes. "What can I say? I'm partial to double initials!"

At that comment, they both started laughing.

Lois had gotten fake ID's for herself, Chloe and Lana so they could celebrate at a club in the city. Monitoring her cousin's drinks, Lois had found herself being the designated adult as Chloe and Lana dabbled with freedom. It really hadn't bothered her that much, though, since she had accomplished her objective. Chloe had fun, and thought that since Lana had come, this was really the surprise party she was expecting. A good thing, too, because now she was off their trail and would really be surprised with the party they were planning for following weekend.

"I really wish your dad had accepted Luthor's help so you guy's could get a bigger place," Lois commented as she grabbed a T-shirt from Chloe's drawer to sleep in.

Around her toothbrush, Chloe responded. "Dad doesn't trust anyone connected to the Luthor's."

"Even Lex? He helped me get into Met U."

"Yeah," Chloe agreed, thinking about her recent summer adventure. "He seems okay. Clark and he are friends, but that's not good enough for my dad. Anyway, this place works for both of us. Besides after graduation, it'll be just him."

Lois supposed she was right, but still was glad Chloe's dad was out of town that night so she wouldn't have to sleep on the floor. The living room of the apartment had been converted into a bedroom so there was no couch to crash on.

Unsettling dreams kept Lois tossing through the night. She didn't think that she ever was fully asleep because when the dreams strayed into an area she didn't like, she would shake herself awake, attempt to clear her thoughts, and try to sleep again. Each of her dreams depicted an encounter with the same stranger, although all were in different settings. The unsettling part was that her dream companion was not unknown to her after all. She would recognize that physique anywhere… and unfortunately for her sanity, the memory of it naked was not easily shakable.

* * *

_tbc_


	2. Boil, Toil & Trouble

Ch 2 – Boil, Toil & Trouble

* * *

Preoccupied with stacking hay bales, Clark didn't notice the car coming up the driveway to the Kent Farm until the horn beeped twice. Grabbing his shirt, he watched Lois Lane jump from her Mustang. Leaning back into the car, she pulled out a large box and carried it over to him.

"Hey," she greeted him, pushing the box into his arms. "Everything's set for 8:00. Have you had a chance to put the decorations up?"

Clark grimaced. "No, I remember telling you we _couldn't_ have the party here! I can't… we can't. My parents are gone for the weekend."

Lois smirked. "Even better," she replied. Seeing his look, she said, "Lighten up. I'm just kidding. It won't be a big deal. Trust me."

"Seriously Lois, this isn't going to work. I'm supposed to be meeting with a recruiter from Princeton tonight. I don't want anything to mess that up."

"So meet your guy at the house. We'll be in the barn, quiet as a mouse."

Clark gave her a look.

"Just explain that you're throwing your friend a little birthday party. It's not like we're scheduling the Burning Man festival in your loft. Relax. This is Smallville. What's the worst that could happen?"

Clark chose not to think of an answer to that question. Lois started walking to the barn, and Clark felt obliged to follow.

"Sorry I didn't call. This was a busy week for me," Lois threw over her shoulder as she pulled one of the big doors open. "Chloe has no idea I'm in town and she and Lana went to a movie… that gives us…" she glanced at her watch. " …About 3 hours to give this place a makeover."

"What's in the box?"

"Chloe's gift." Seeing Clark's expression, she guessed that he'd forgotten about that part. "Not a good move, Smallville. It's okay. You can put your name on my gift- but you've got to wrap it. I've never been good at that."

While Lois dragged decorations from her trunk to the barn, Clark went into the house to wrap the gift. He was relieved that the tension that had been apparent the last time he and Lois were together had dissipated. She was as brash and bossy as before. He wasn't sure if he should be upset about that or not.

He'd been pretty busy since their "tumble in the field" last week, so he hadn't put much thought into what happened… purposely busy, that is. Lois was tall for a girl, and after she'd thrown him to the ground, he realized that she was pretty strong as well. He didn't dissolve into puddles of incoherency like he used to do around Lana, and even though he would never admit it; he was beginning to enjoy their bantering.

Placing another piece of tape on the ill-wrapped package, he set it to the side and went out to the barn to help.

Lois was glad that Clark had left her alone for a few minutes. Acting as if seeing Clark shirtless was nothing of importance left her a bit flustered. She wrapped a string of white lights around a wooden banister, briefly wondering if the Kent's had any extra extension cords.

She smiled to herself. There was something about the way Clark refused to be intimidated by her that made her enjoy picking on him. Her smile turned into a frown as she searched for a place the DJ could set up. There was that little issue of the kiss. They should probably talk about that. She had been trying to avoid feeling guilty about kissing her cousin's crush since it happened. Things between her and Clark had always been playful. She'd even threatened to break his legs if he'd hurt Chloe, but now she was in danger of doing the same. That probably meant she'd have to break her own legs, she mused, chuckling to herself.

"What's so funny?"

Lois jumped at the voice. She hadn't heard him return. "Nothing… We're going to need a table for the DJ over here."

"DJ? Exactly how many people did you invite to this thing."

"Let's see… a couple people from my dorm - My roommate might come, but I wouldn't expect anyone else from Met U to want to make that drive – and everyone at your school. Why are you looking at me like that? It's not like they'll all show up!"

"You don't know Smallville very well. Of course they'll show up. What else have they got to do?"

"Oh. Well in that case we might need a few more refreshments. What've you got in the fridge?"

Clark sighed. With Lois around, he had a pretty good feeling that things would get out of control.

* * *

When they had finished the decorations, Clark went inside to shower while Lois helped the DJ finish setting up his stand. He was expecting the recruiter to come in a half an hour – at 7:30 – and the party probably wouldn't get started until 8:30 when the meeting was over… at least, that's what he hoped.

He should have learned from the last time Lois was at the house that he needed to lock the bathroom door when he was inside, but habits are hard to break. Once again, he was shocked when he heard the door open and close.

"Lois!"

"Hey, relax. I closed the door so the heat wouldn't escape. I'd forgotten that you're out to set the record for longest shower. Do you think you could leave some hot water for me?"

Clark shut off the water and wrapped a towel around his waist. She was incorrigible. Stepping out of the tub, he moved toward the door, grabbing his clothes on the way.

Lois shrugged apologetically when he glared at her and reached to turn the water back on.

* * *

Clark was fiddling with his tie in front of the bathroom mirror when Lois entered with a brush in her hand; her hair still damp from her shower.

She moved in-between him and the mirror and took the tie from him.

"Thanks. My mom usually helps me with that," Clark said, blushing slightly with the confession.

"Hmm." Lois grunted, shaking her head. "Princeton? Are you really thinking of going that far away? I would think that a guy who still has trouble tying his own tie would stay closer to home."

"They have a great football program…" he offered sheepishly.

Lois finished the knot and patted his chest. "There you go."

Clark grinned and caught her hand to show his gratitude. Their eyes met and the realization of how close they were to one another became apparent on both of their faces. Letting go of her hand, he stepped back. "We should talk."

"I know," Lois agreed. "But after the party."

Clark nodded and moved into the hall. The doorbell rang as he reached the top of the stairs.

"Clark," Lois called. When he stopped and looked at her, her head was poking out of the bathroom, she smiled. "Good luck."

* * *

Clark ran a hand through his hair and sighed. If only he had trusted his instincts, he thought, looking over the mess that used to be the Kent's barn. Things had indeed gotten out of control, but he couldn't really blame that on Lois. The whole possession thing was just another Smallville mishap. Unfortunately, when the doorbell rang, it hadn't been the Princeton guy. Instead, at the door were a couple of early arrivers, excited about the prospect of a party. They were freshmen, and according to Lois, unaware that being the first to arrive at a party was worse than showing up after the guest of honor. With that warning, she sent them off to work. Unfortunately, she got a '911' page from Lana and ran off to see what the trouble was, leaving Clark to manage the party and prepare for the recruiter on his own.

Things actually got a little hazy after that. With all the people showing up, and the recruiter being late, things got hectic. At some point the girls returned, dressed for a Goth party… and then the 'fun' began.

It turned out that Lana was possessed by some ancient witch who decided to awaken two of her cronies in the bodies of Lois and Chloe. After wrecking havoc, a final showdown at the caves allowed Clark to 'exorcise' the witches with the help of the crystals. The best part was, they didn't remember a thing.

Clark was startled out of his thoughts when he heard the sound of a car door slamming shut. Moments later the screen door to the house opened and closed. Whoever it was must have been looking for his parents. Clark turned back to the barn. His punishment was to clean the barn… at normal speed. Noticing a pair of underwear hanging over the banister of the loft, he pulled his heavy-duty work gloves out of his back pocket. Right now, shoveling cow pies seemed much more appealing.

As he tied off the first garbage bag, someone cleared his or her throat to get his attention. Looking down from the loft, he saw Lois gazing up at him; her hands tucked in her back pockets.

"You know," he began, walking down the steps. "There is a theory out there about criminals who return to the scene of a crime…"

Lois smiled in spite of her mood. He was definitely getting better at making snide comments. "I just got done apologizing to your folks."

Clark's eyebrows rose in surprise. "Really?" He didn't take Lois to be the type that had a lot of respect for authority figures.

Lois knew what he was thinking. "Hey, I told you before that I liked your mom. Besides, I don't want them getting the wrong idea about me."

"Oh?" Clark fought the impulse to laugh. "The wrong idea, huh… Did they accept?"

Lois glared at him, then rolled her eyes. "Yes… then hinted that you could use a hand out here."

She began to pace.

"Listen, I don't have a clue what happened during that whole Quantum Leap episode. Judging by the clothes I had on when I woke up, I probably don't want to know… The whole Witches of Eastwick thing is kinda weird… I don't do very well with 'out of control'. I like things to go by my terms… and I'm a little freaked out about it all. One day, I'll get up enough nerve to ask you about what I did while… Anyway, things didn't go quite as planned with the party… and…"

"And?" Clark urged, smiling.

"Look, this is not my thing."

"This?"

"Apologizing," she said through her teeth. "And twice in one day is a record for me so shut up and let me finish… I'm sorry. About the recruiter, the party, and everything. You know, you could have your friend Lex make a call for you. Straighten this whole mess out…"

Clark shook his head. "No, I think I want to do this one on my own…"

Lois stopped pacing and faced him. "I still don't know what you did to get us to snap out of it."

Clark shrugged. "I was just in the right place…"

"…At the right time. Yeah, I know." Lois studied him for a moment, curiously, before deciding to let the issue drop. "Well, with _that_ said, there is something else we need to talk about."

Remembering the judo lesson, Clark blushed.

"Oh yeah… that." He looked at the ground. "I'm sorry… I don't know what I was thi…"

"No, wait," Lois interrupted. "I'm on a roll today. Let me have a go at it. It was a momentary lapse in judgment by both of us. Freak thing… anyway, one time deal. You are my cousin's crush and," shaking her head as he tried to speak, she continued. "I know you told her that you didn't return her feelings, but until _she_ realizes it, you're not free. It's some kind of code among friends and family… or something like that," she frowned.

Lois sighed and began pacing again. "Not that it makes a difference or anything. What I'm trying to get at is… I don't have that many friends, and in a weird way, I was starting to think we were approaching that… so what d'ya say? Can we just chock it up to passing insanity and move on?"

She held out a hand toward him.

Clark reached to shake before realizing that he still had his gloves on. Pulling them off, he grasped her had and grinned. "Deal."

"Good, because I hate awkward unspoken feelings between people. It's right up there next to awkward silences and…" Abruptly, Lois realized that they were still holding hands and quickly pulled away. She turned in a circle to gage the status of the barn. "So, you got another pair of those gloves?"

Laughing, Clark threw his pair at her and went in search for his dad's set. He was relieved that things were settling back to normal.

* * *

_tbc_


	3. Alliance

_A/N: Thank you for all the commentary! Now without further ado, chapter 3..._

**Ch 3 - Alliance**

* * *

"We have got to stop meeting like this, Smallville!"

Clark grimaced and sent an apologetic glance to his companion as Lois slid into the booth next to him.

"Hi, Lois."

"I didn't know you'd be on campus this week."

Clark was in Metropolis for a campus visit; part of the recruiting process he was in with the Met U football program. Steve Shipp, a sophomore member of the team, was giving him a campus tour. They had just stopped by 'The Comm' for lunch.

"Yeah, well, we haven't talked for a while," Clark shrugged, opening a ketchup packet for his fries.

Lois nodded. They hadn't spoken since she'd headed back to school after the barn incident.

"Do you believe in destiny, farmboy?"

Clark frowned. Lana had asked him that same question. That conversation had been strange; especially the part where Lana had assumed that he and Lois were an item. He wasn't sure how to answer it now. "Huh?"

Lois waved a hand at his confusion. "I was just thinking about you, and poof, here you are."

Still confused – but that was the effect Lois tended to have – he looked across the table. "Steve, this is Lois. Lois, this is Steve. He's my host for the visit."

They exchanged nods and then Steve gathered the remains of his sandwich and stood up. "Look, I'll let you two catch up. I'll be back in a bit."

Lois watched Steve leave as she moved to the other side of the booth to take his place. "Tight end," she said, approvingly, as he pulled up a chair to a table where two girls were sitting.

"He's a running back," Clark corrected.

"Oh, I know," Lois said, smiling as she reached for his fries.

Clark shook his head. Lois was… unique. "So, Chloe tells me that you're working on the paper here… Didn't think it was your style."

"What can I say… I'm good at it. And, why deprive the world of such a rare talent." She smiled as he laughed at her remark. He had a beautiful smile. Startled by that unexpected thought, she pressed on.

"Okay, as I was saying," Lois started, helping herself to more of his food. "I need your help with something I'm working on."

"Me?"

"Yep. You seem to be pretty resourceful in a bind. Anyway, I don't have much to go on yet, but when I get more information I'll shoot it to you."

"Shoot what to me?" Clark asked, still confused.

"Oops - guess I didn't say that part out loud. I'm looking for Chloe's mother. I've got a couple of loose ends I'm researching now." She grabbed another fry.

"Do you want some?" Clark asked, sarcastically, pushing his basket of fries in her direction.

"No, I'm good, thanks."

"Why are you looking for Chloe's mom?"

"Chloe's been searching on her own for a long time, and she's recently decided to give up hope. I think I might be able to make some progress if I take a different route. I'm not as close to it as she is."

"I thought she knew where her Mom was," Clark said, his brow crunching in confusion.

"She used to. When she tried getting in contact it turned out to be a dead end."

"Do you think it's a good idea? I mean, what if you find out something bad?" Clark thought back to the nightmare Chloe had told him about. The fear that her mother had mental issues was high on Chloe's list of 'worst case scenarios'. "Maybe she'll come to terms with it all…"

Lois sat back and crossed her arms. "I don't think so. Chloe has a mother out there… somewhere. I think that the worst thing would be not knowing..."

Clark thought about that for a moment. He had to agree. Being adopted and not having a clue as to why his powers were developing would have been worse if he never knew about his birth parents. Not that Jor-El was making his life any easier…

Lois continued, "It's different when you know they're dead. Parents, I mean. You know that there is no chance that they're coming back so you don't hope for it."

Clark shifted, uncomfortably. She was obviously talking about her mother. He remembered her saying that she had died when Lois was six.

Lois saw him fidget. "I told you that I _can_ talk about it. I usually don't, though, because other people get uncomfortable."

Clark noticed the wistful tone to her voice. It almost seemed that she _wanted_ to talk about it. In some ways, he could relate. "Your dad doesn't…"

Lois scoffed. "No."

"My parents… my birth parents are dead," Clark offered.

Lois met his gaze. She knew he was adopted – via Chloe – but there seemed to be more to the statement.

"But, I've been with my mom and dad for as long as I can remember. They're great."

"Yes, they are." Lois smiled.

They both noticed Steve returning. This conversation would have to wait. Lois pulled a card out of her bag and handed it to Clark.

"You have business cards?" Clark asked, flipping it over to read both sides.

"Hey, my sources need to know how to contact me." They both stood as Steve reached the table.

"Ok boys, I've got to run. And Smallville," she added, nodding to Clark. "Try to stay out of trouble."

With a wink and a wave, she was gone.

* * *

_tbc_


	4. Metastasis

Ch 4 – Metastasis

**me·tas·ta·sis**_(n):_ change of position, state, or form: as **a** transfer of a disease-producing agency (as cancer cells or bacteria) from an original site of disease to another part of the body (see also **_me·tas·ta·size_**_(v): To be changed or transformed, especially dangerously)_

* * *

"Mind telling me what this is for?" Lex asked, tapping the file on his desk.

Clark shrugged. "Just helping a friend with something."

Lex looked at the file again. "Lois Lane. This is the second time you've needed a favor for her. Any chance I'll be meeting Ms. Lane someday?"

Clark was momentarily speechless. Lex had a penchant for brunettes, and it wasn't always a good thing. He wasn't sure what kind of effect Lex and Lois would have on one another. He coughed to cover his nervousness.

"I don't know… maybe," he replied, evasively.

Lex's eyes narrowed slightly. As long as he'd known him, Clark had never had a cold… but he was often covering something up. He wondered what that meant regarding General Lane's daughter. Mentally filing that thought away for later, he handed Clark the file and stood.

"Well, I hope that helps you and your friend out," he said, putting his suit jacket on. "I have a meeting to attend."

"Where are you headed?" Clark asked. Having his own secrets never made him steer clear of everyone else's.

"The State Penitentiary."

"You're going to see your father? Do you think that's wise?" Clark followed Lex out of the office.

Lex stopped to look at Clark. "You may not understand this… Hell, I don't understand it half the time… My father and I have a strange connection. No matter how much I hate him for the things he's done, there is still something pulling. I need to go, to look in his face and remind myself that he can't hurt anyone again."

Lex smiled. "Don't worry. He says he dying. It could be a trick, but I consider it a pleasure to have the chance to say goodbye."

Clark saw something underneath the anger that seemed to drive Lex. "I'll go with you."

* * *

Clark stood near the rear wall of the visiting area, observing the conversation between Lex and Lionel Luthor. He was tempted to listen to what they were saying but refrained, instead choosing to watch Lex's body language for any signs of trouble. So far everything seemed to be going okay. It looked like Lionel was trying to appeal to Lex for something, although it didn't look like Lex was acquiescing.

As Lex stood to leave, Lionel reached to take his hand, offering, it seemed, an olive branch to their troubled relationship. Clark hoped this was true, for Lex's sake. As their hands met, a painful high-pitched ringing filled the air and Clark's hands flew to cover his ears of their own volition.

Something was terribly wrong.

A slight glow was building where Lex's hand was encased in his father's. The entire thing only lasted a few seconds, but time seemed to slow to a standstill as Clark realized that the meeting was indeed a trick. He flew across the room and knocked their hands apart, sending a black stone crashing into the corner. Knowing the threat wasn't over, he sent a burst of heat with the rock, causing it to explode.

The next millisecond brought him on top of Lex, shielding him from the small explosion. As time sped back up to normal, chaos ensued. Guards began quickly gathering prisoners, shouting commands as they grabbed them. Lionel was thrown against a wall as his arms were forced behind him into cuffs. Clark and Lex got to their feet.

"Well," Lex remarked, readjusting his suit. "You certainly are handy, aren't you?"

A sinister smile appeared on Lex's face as he turned to walk out. Confused, Clark turned back to look at Lionel, who was looking just as bewildered as he was dragged from the room.

"Clark?" He called.

Clark ran to the fencing that now separated them. The look in Lionel's eye was wrong.

"Clark, you've got to help me. I don't know how he did it."

"L-Lex?"

Lionel struggled against the guard, trying to buy some time. "Yes- it's me. Listen. You're in danger. My building. 13th floor. Halfway in-between- there's a floor. Get to it and start the self destruct sequence."

"How?" Clark was still having trouble wrapping his mind around all that was happening. He reached a point along the wall where he could walk no further. The guard dragged Lionel further away.

"Clark- I'm sorry," Lionel called as they disappeared around a corner.

Clark glanced about the room. It was still chaotic, with guards trying to clear it of prisoners and gather the visitors for questioning. Squinting, he found Lex, talking to a guard on the other side of the wall. Things were crazy right now, but he knew that soon they'd want to talk to him too. Making sure no one was looking in his direction, he sped past the guards and out of the prison, stopping only to retrieve his file from Lex's car.

As he neared the mansion, he slowed, wondering what he could do. Somehow the rock had caused Lex to switch bodies with his father. He wasn't even sure what the rock was- he'd been too eager to destroy it. Clark tried to figure out what the apology meant. Lex had given him a file a few months ago, saying that it held everything that Lex had collected about him. He'd then shown him the compacted remains of his Porsche, which left Clark thinking that was the end of it.

"Guess not," he muttered to himself, stopping a short distance away from the castle.

Clark decided that the castle was not where he was supposed to be going. As large as it was, it didn't have a 13th floor, going up or down. LuthorCorp in Metropolis was his father's haunting grounds… although with him in jail, Lex had just begun to start making it the HQ for LexCorp. Could that be the location Lex was referring to? Clark's previous run-in's with Lionel had proven that there had been some secret spaces… He'd have to go and see.

* * *

_tbc_


	5. Reconnaissance

_A/N: The last couple of chapters were kinda short, so I am putting up the next chapter. Thanks a ton for the reviews. I will definitely be checking out your stories as soon as I get a chance. In the meantime, if anyone is looking for something to pass the waiting period with, check out my website (see the profile). I made a fun little video the other day from the **Spell** episode. Okay, the adventure continues below! Let me know what you think..._

**Ch 5 - Reconnaissance **

* * *

Inside the secret elevator shaft privately accessed via Luthor's office, Clark found the entrance to the hidden floor. Pulling a crowbar out of his bag, he set to work clawing at the steel door. It was 10 inches thick and immovable. Using enhanced strength allowed Clark to make some depressions in the crease, large enough to place his hands inside to get a grip. He was standing on a shallow ledge, jutting about 7 inches from the wall. It wasn't a great deal of space for him to maneuver, and his footing nearly slipped on his first attempt at sliding the door open.

He heard the sound of an engine whirring and knew that an elevator car was approaching. Placing a foot against the ladder he'd climbed to reach the floor, he took a deep breath and pulled, panting as the door began to slide. When it was open wide enough for him to get through, he sped through the opening, darting away as the door slammed shut.

The approaching elevator could mean that Luthor was back from the prison- or that someone else was checking on the 'projects'. Either way, it was bad. Clark scanned his surroundings. The area looked unfinished and dark. 3 corridors led from the elevator to other locations on the level. Choosing the one furthest to the left, Clark sped through the hallway until reaching the first door.

Lex had said to start the self-destruct sequence. Clark scanned the door for a hint at how to bypass the security system on the entry. As he stepped closer, sensors in the floor acknowledged his presence.

"Please insert keycard and submit for retinal scan," a mechanical female voice requested.

Clark stepped back from the door. He was at a loss for what to do. Narrowing his eyes, he sent blast of heat at the door, hoping for a mechanical breakdown. Instead, flashing lights began to bathe the hallway. There was no evidence of sirens blaring, so he assumed that silent alarms had also been triggered.

"Self destruct," he mumbled to himself, trying to calm his growing anxiety.

"Acknowledged," the computer responded.

Clark was startled. It couldn't be that easy.

"Please enter the code."

Clark stepped back up to the door. He didn't see a keypad. He reached for the door handle, thinking that maybe he could break it off, when it came loose in his hand. It was tethered to the door by wires. On its rear was a keypad and a small display.

Clark sighed and typed L-I-L-L-I-A-N. Lex's mother's name. The screen blanked and turned red. A line of numbers informed him that the pad would lock in 30 seconds. Using super speed, he typed in every word he could think of starting with the letter 'A'. 28.54.19 seconds later, he achieved success with the word 'Machiavelli'.

"Sequence started."

Time to go. Clark hesitated as the sound of running entered the hallway. He needed to make sure that the sequence wouldn't be stopped. Ripping the pad away from the door, he shoved the it open; no longer worrying about setting off alarms… it was too late for that.

Once inside the room, his mouth dropped open. To his right, an area about 10 square feet held a suspended scale model of Lex's Porsche. A computer screen near the center of the room showed an image of the hexagonal key, with streams of data scrolling in a separate window. On one of the adjacent walls, pictures of every one in his family accompanied pictures of the farm from all angles, including aerial shots. But that wasn't all… the mausoleum wasn't focused solely on the Kent clan.

Hundreds of pictures of other people Clark didn't recognize graced the remaining wall space. Stopper-capped beakers and tubes were organized on tables throughout the room. Looking through the wall, Clark saw that there were several other rooms connected. One of the rooms was occupied, and the person seemed to be quickly packing a briefcase while moving toward a door.

Moving quickly, he fried the computer's mainframe and set fire to the images on the wall. He then turned his attention to the sprinkler system, busting the embedded heads so the water wouldn't halt the damage he'd created. That ought to keep his pursuers busy for a while.

Jumping on top of a table, he moved a ceiling panel and pulled himself up. Carefully replacing the panel, he gingerly walked across the ceiling structure until he reached the wall to the elevator shaft. Below him he heard shouts as security became aware of the fire and tried to control it. Using the rafters for support, Clark climbed until he came in contact with a large vent. Removing the grid, he slid inside and pulled it closed behind him.

The vent took him through a series of vertical and horizontal tunnels. The smoke had somehow been contained onthe hidden floor.Clark guessed that it was already being sealed off from the rest of the building. He assumed that it was part of the self-destruct process.

After a while, Clark guessed he was somewhere past the 26th floor and looked for another vent opening. The one he found looked down into a stairwell. Kicking the grid, he dropped onto the landing and was startled by a yelp.

"What in the hell are _you_ doing here?" he gasped, swearing out of shock at the sight of his companion.

Lois put a hand over her heart, trying to control her breath. "Funny," she panted, glaring at him. "I was thinking of asking you the same thing."

Lois glanced up at the hole in the ceiling. "I'm guessing you weren't invited for this visit?"

Clark frowned. "What are you doing here?" he tried again, his voice lowered.

"I'm working on a story."

"Damn it, Lois. You don't work for The Planet! What kind of story could you be working on?"

"LuthorCorp, LexCorp, and its founders… I don't trust corporate dynasties."

"You don't trust Lex? He helped you get into Met U!"

"As a favor to _you_, yes. Outside of whatever _'friendship'_ you two have going," Lois replied, indicating quotation marks with her fingers. "There's still too much gray for my liking."

"Lex is a good guy," Clark said, trying to listen for anyone coming. "We need to go."

"I think you're naïve. He's a Luthor. A power-junkie. Why are you all Cloak and Dagger if you think he's…"

"You're here illegally!"

"Oh, and I suppose that you and your buddy Lex are just playing Hide and Seek."

Clark didn't have time to argue with her. Grabbing her arm, he headed up the stairs.

"Wait a minute! Why are we going up?"

"Because the guards are _down_ there," he said pointing down. "Come on."

As she was about to say something else, alarms sounded throughout the building, echoing loudly in the stairway. A loud metallic 'thunk' followed as all of the stairwell doors were automatically locked.

"We need to go. Now." Clark turned and began running up the stairs. Immediately, Lois followed.

As they rounded each corner, Lois noticed that the security cameras popped, and she ducked to avoid the flying sparks. To herself, she thought that Clark Kent had some serious mojo. She would have said it aloud if she didn't think her chest would burst for lack of oxygen. She really should have quit smoking earlier. Better yet, she shouldn't have ever started smoking at all.

Clark felt Lois slow down. There were more than 20 flights left before they would reach the roof and he knew their luck was running short. Almost carrying her the rest of the way, he was able to increase their speed without making it overly obvious. At the landing for the roof, Lois slumped against the wall.

She couldn't speak for panting, but her expression told him she was wondering what they were going to do next. They both knew that the doors were locked. Clark reached out to the door and pushed it open, not meeting her bewildered stare.

"Come on."

On the roof, vertigo made Lois stumble as the night illuminated the bustling downtown Metropolis skyline _below_ them.

"Sh!t," she muttered, closing her eyes to gain her balance. When the world stopped spinning enough for her to open them, she found Clark looking over the side of the building.

"You wouldn't have happened to pack a parachute in that thing, would you?" she asked, pointing to his bag.

Shaking his head, Clark moved to another part of the low wall and gazed down. "We'll go this way," he said, gesturing for her to come closer.

Lois looked down. Way down. The Daily Planet was about 200 feet away. It's globe rested on top of the building 100 feet below where they stood.

"Go what way!" Lois exclaimed, her mind spinning. Sure there was something strange about Kent. He was fast. Check. He was strong… really strong. Check. He could pull explosions out of a hat, she thought. Fuzzy memories of the exploding pipe at the gym and the bursting of the mid-evil psychopath who attacked Chloe collided in her mind. She looked over the wall again. Add delusional to the list. Check.

"Stand right here," he said, positioning her by the wall.

"Okay, tell you what," she tried, panicking. "Let's just wait here. We'll explain it was all a misunderstanding. I'll give the stolen keycard back… Lex is your friend… we can work…"

Her voice faltered when she noticed that he was no longer standing by her.

Looking around wildly, she thought she saw the silhouette of someone on the other side of the roof. The figure was at least 50 yards away. They still might be able to get away- if she could coax Crazy Kent back into the stairwell. Turning in a full circle, she didn't see him anywhere. The fool jumped, she thought, exasperated, and turned to look over the building.

Without warning, she felt herself being lifted and carried over the edge. The only thing that flashed through her mind was the image of her mother.

That flying thing would come in handy right about now, Clark thought, trying to command his body to defy gravity. It wasn't working.

He'd taken a pretty good running start; starting at the other side of the roof. Right before jumping, he'd grabbed Lois. He'd been confident that it would kick in. It had to.

The horizontal progress was good. They would make the globe- but they were falling too fast. Lois was extremely quiet- probably in shock.

As they neared the globe, Clark put all of his concentration into one thought - 'Up!' It happened only a millisecond before contact, but it was enough to slow their descent to the point where they wouldn't crash through the thing. Tucking, he rolled Lois on top of him, breaking her fall at the last second. Even using him as a cushion, the back of her head hit his chest - hard.

* * *

_tbc_


	6. Realization

_A/N: I absolutely adore feedback! Thank you for following this story. Please feel free to nag if you want to. '-0-' means a time progression. Here is our next installment, and as they say... the plot thickens..._

**Ch 6 – Realization**

* * *

Lois struggled to open her eyes but gave up when the efforts sent shockwaves through her skull. Every part of her body hurt as she slowly took inventory of her limbs. Pain told her that everything was still attached- not what she expected after jumping off of a building. She was just going to rest for a few more minutes.

-0-

A little while later, at least she thought it was little while later; someone decided to move her around. Why the heck would they do that – couldn't they see she was sleeping? If she had the energy, she would tell them off. Call them something like a toad's kneecap… do toad's have knees? They must. They jump, right? She drifted back to sleep with that thought.

-0-

More movement jolted her out of fuzzy dreams. Now they were putting something in her mouth… or taking it out. Just hurry up, please. Finally, they were done. Lois decided to rest a little longer.

-0-

Sometime later, the urge to use the bathroom hit her. This time, her eyelids responded when she sent the command to open. Her surroundings were foreign.

A bright room.

A sense of dread filled her. She had been in this type of room before. She hated this type of room.

Her arm felt heavy, like it was strapped down. Glancing down, she saw that it was exactly as she feared. Tubes. Tubes meant needles. Needles meant hospitals. Turning slightly, because her neck was stiff, she saw flowers on a table. There were a couple of different sets of them. No lilies, though. Lilies were her favorite, because they reminded her of her mother. Her father hated them… because of the same reason.

No, lilies were beautiful. Hospitals, on the other hand, were horrible places… where little girls watched their mothers become frail. Mothers who go to hospitals don't come home.

Her bladder reminded her of her original purpose, and she started to attempt to move the cover she was under. Nope, another tube, she grimaced, realizing that she was connected to a catheter. How embarrassing could this get?

When she was finished, she closed her eyes again. Maybe if she slept, the nightmare would end.

* * *

"… More creative. That's what I should have been. More creative. I'm sure there was a different way to get out of there."

Lois frowned at the words. Without opening her eyes, she countered. "Less bossy."

Her voice was scratchy and low, but he heard it.

Clark turned around in surprise. "Lois?"

She cleared her throat and tried again, fighting off a coughing spasm. "You got bossy. If you had asked… ehm… for my opinion… ehm…. Down the steps. Not up." She worked one eye open, then the other.

He was looking at her shell shocked, unsure of what to say next. He'd been talking to her for a while, when she was asleep. Now that she was awake, he wasn't sure of what to say. The increased activity of her monitors drew a nurse to her room. Clark slipped out of the room quietly, but could see that her eyes followed him as he moved out of the door.

The doctors had said she'd been in and out of consciousness for the past few days, mumbling a few words here and there. He figured that he'd better call Chloe. She'd been planning on heading over after finishing at The Torch anyway.

It had been almost a week since they crashed landed on the roof of The Daily Planet. He knew immediately that something was wrong when Lois didn't open her eyes. He'd taken her straight to the Metropolis General ER. Strangely enough, no one was distracted by a man carrying an unconscious woman down the street. He didn't think he'd ever get used to the big city.

After dropping her off, he'd sped home. He'd left information on how to reach her father at the Fort in her purse for the nurses to find, knowing that it wouldn't be a good thing for them to be tied to one another, or to the LutherCorp break-in. She'd been stable enough to be transferred the next day, so her father had arranged transport to Smallville Medical.

She had slight swelling on her brain from the concussion, but it hadn't been too serious. The doctors had decided to keep her heavily medicated and unconscious. They had said something to the effect of letting the body heal itself.

He'd been busy with other things as well. He'd told his parents about the incident at the prison, but not anyone else. Who would believe that the real Lex Luthor was behind bars while his father, Lionel, had taken residence in his son's body and left the country? He'd gone to see Lex as soon as possible, trying to understand what had happened.

Apparently Lionel's old cellmate had mysteriously died on the day of the body switch. Both Clark and Lex were sure that he had been part of Lionel's scheme, and had become 'expendable'. The man had died in the recreation field while Lionel was at visiting hours, so there was nothing to tie him to the crime. The guards weren't too motivated to keep investigating the death of a criminal, so they let it go.

Lex had given Clark the books and papers he'd found in the cell. They were covered with symbols from the Kawatche caves. After days of going through the stuff, Clark realized that the black stone that he blew up must have been Kryptonite. He had no idea how to get more of it.

Clark headed home. The piece of Black Kryptonite that his mother had obtained was destroyed when he battled Kal-El. Obviously the composition of the rock was less dense than all of the other forms of Kryptonite he'd been in contact with. There was another issue. Even if he could get another piece, he didn't have a clue as to where Lionel had taken Lex's body.

* * *

While being poked and prodded, Lois learned about her injuries. She found it strange that no one knew that it was Clark that had taken her to the ER. When they asked her about what happened, she shrugged and claimed not to remember. Who would believe that she had jumped off of the top of Metropolis' tallest building?

Chloe would be the hardest person to keep in the dark. Lois had never been on the receiving side of the firing squad before.

"I'm so glad you're awake," Chloe sighed, dropping her bag in the visitor's chair and moving to stand next to Lois' bed.

Lois grabbed her cousin's hand and smiled. "Me too."

"Your doctor's weren't sure when you'd wake up…What happened?"

Lois shrugged and pressed the button to raise her bed to a sitting position.

Chloe narrowed her eyes and watched her cousin carefully. "There was a break-in at LuthorCorp the same night you got hurt."

Lois looked appropriately shocked. "What did they report?"

"Nothing, actually. Which is strange- don't you think? I mean, there was no damage reported or anything. They came out the next day and said that it was a faulty alarm."

Lois was relieved. "Well, maybe that's all it was."

Chloe smirked. Lois was good… but so was she. "Hmm," she nodded. She pulled the chair next to the bed, and sat down.

"I'm almost sorry I introduced you to journalism," Chloe remarked. She had created a monster. "Did you find anything out?"

Lois laughed and shook her head. "No… but I'm not finished!"

There was a dangerous twinkle in her eye.

* * *

Clark entered the room and frowned. It was hard to reconcile the fact that the person in this body was actually Lex Luthor. He supposed it didn't matter who it looked like, though. It _was_ Lex.

"I was afraid you weren't going to come back after what you said last time," Lex said, smiling.

Clark's expression remained neutral. "You lied to me about investigating my family."

"People investigate my family all the time, Clark. I'm sorry that you felt betrayed by that." Lex sighed. They had gone through this conversation the last time Clark came by.

"You went through the trouble of showing me the remains of your car so that I would believe that it was over. I just have a hard time understanding that."

"There are some questions that you have to find answers to. I didn't even know about that floor for a long time. Somehow my father was able to get into my files. You know that he had me bugged. I think he wanted to see what my interest was in you, to somehow get to me."

Clark thought back to the pictures he'd seen posted on the walls when he was at LuthorCorp. "And what exactly _is_ that interest?"

"Friendship."

Clark narrowed his eyes. "I don't think I can easily believe that. Not this time."

Lex crossed his arms over his chest and leaned away from the table. The visiting room at the prison was stark and uncomfortable. Around them, other inmates met with family members and lawyers at metal tables.

"If that's the way you feel, why did you come back?"

Clark sighed. "I may not like some of the things you've done, but you don't deserve to be behind bars. Your father does. I'm the only person who knows who you really are."

The irony of the statement caused Lex to smile. "So, what did you find out about those books? And what did my father's cellmate have to do with those caves?"

"I don't know. I haven't gotten too much to go on yet, but I have an idea of where to get more information."

"From The Foundation?"

Clark was taken aback. Lex knew a lot more than he'd thought. The muscles in his jaw tensed as he gritted his teeth, and rose from the chair.

Lex shook his head. He could see the wheels in Clark's head turning. "Look, I know you're angry, but I don't have time to play around. I found out that my dad really was dying. It's liver disease, and it's pretty far advanced. I don't want to die in this body. I have to get out of here… and I know that _you_ can help me."

They stared at one another for a while, each trying to gage what the other was thinking.

"I'll see what I can do," Clark said, turning to leave. He didn't see the slight sneer that briefly crossed Lex's face.

"I should warn you," he called, as Clark walked. "Dr. Swann is no longer there."

Clark's step faltered slightly, but he recovered quickly and continued without looking back.

* * *

It took a few days for Clark to return to the hospital to see Lois. From what Chloe was telling him, she still hadn't let anyone know that he had been with her in Metropolis before the accident. He decided to see what she remembered, hoping that it wasn't anything substantial.

Lois motioned for him to come in when he knocked on the door to her hospital room.

"You know, dying gives a person some clarity."

"You didn't die, Lois."

"No, but I came close. Gravity and Terminal Velocity mixed together leave you with a pretty bad hangover." She paused and glared at him. "And you tried to kill me."

"Lois, I did not try to kill you! What are you talking about?" Clark wondered if she was still on heavy medication.

"You tried to kill me," she repeated, in a flat voice. "What suicidal binge made you think you could fly?"

Clark sighed and slumped into the visitor's chair.

"No, don't answer that. I think I know."

Clark's brow furrowed. She couldn't _really_ know.

Lois smirked at his look. "Clarity, I told you," she quipped, as if it explained everything.

"One thing about being unconscious – you have plenty of time to think. I started to put it all together. All the stuff Chloe used to tell me about this town and the things I've seen."

Lois watched him curiously as she continued. "You're incredibly strong… although you try not to be. You seem to have an explosive personality, and you're fast… really fast. That was you on the other side of the roof, wasn't it?"

She didn't wait for an answer. "And, to top it off, you had the crazy idea that you could fly. Each of those things by themselves isn't strange for this town… From what I know, the meteor rock zombies never really last that long. Except with you. You would think that with all the things that happen here in Weirdsville, you would have heard something about you - but your family is as tight-lipped as Templar Knights, know what I mean?"

Clark shifted in the chair. He knew that he should leave. Listening to her probably would only make her think she was onto something, but a part of him needed to confirm that she was wrong. He remained silent.

"I landed on _you_. That part I remember. Yet, _I'm_ the one who ends up channeling Rip Van Wrinkle, while _you_ don't even have a scratch. Not to mention that no one seems to have any idea that you were in Metropolis that night. So, I'm trying to figure out what happened… and I think it has something to do with your biological parents…"

Startled, Clark was a little late schooling his features. He needed to discuss this with his folks.

"Hi Daddy," Lois sighed, her attention shifting to the door.

Clark jumped to his feet, mumbling a greeting to the general. He quickly looked away from the stern look he received in return.

"Clark, please excuse us. I'd like to have a word with Lois," General Lane commanded, frowning.

Clark nodded and stepped out of the room.

* * *

_tbc_


	7. Displacement

**Ch 7 – Displacement**

* * *

"That's not fair, Daddy," Lois said, clenching her jaw.

"Life's not fair, Lois," Sam Lane replied, using one of his usual responses to her protest. "And you don't have much of a choice. You can suck it up and make the best of the situation, or you can act like a spoiled brat."

Lois narrowed her eyes. "You pulled me out of Met U. I shouldn't be upset? You taught me to take care of myself, but you keep jumping in and making decisions for me!"

Sam didn't flinch. "Lois, you were in a coma. The doctor's didn't know how long it would be before you woke up. I want you to take care of yourself, but _your_ decisions get you here," he gestured at the room.

"When can I get out of here?" Lois asked, planning to call and schedule a meeting with the Dean of Admissions the next day. After all, she knew the routine.

Knowing what his daughter was thinking, Sam shook his head. "You're done, Lois. You've missed almost 2 weeks of the semester. Met U will reconsider your admission next fall. You're going to be released tomorrow, but you still need to be monitored. Someone will need to wake you up during the night for the next week to make sure you don't slip into another coma."

"So I'm going back to the base with you?" Lois frowned.

"No. I head to Washington DC in the morning. Considering your circumstances, Lowell County Community College has agreed to let you finish out your freshman year there. Unfortunately, their housing is full, so you can't stay on campus."

"I'm going to Uncle Gabe's?" Lois wondered if she could get used to sharing Chloe's full size bed.

"No. You're uncle's apartment is too small. I'll work something out by the morning."

Lois hoped that meant she could get her own place. Again her father shook his head.

"I need to know you won't be getting into anymore trouble while I'm gone. I can't do my job protecting the country if I'm worrying that my daughter is going to show up on the 10 Most Wanted list."

He moved closer to the bed and brushed a hand over her hair. "Go with me on this one, Lo. If you can fly straight, we'll discuss an apartment for Met U next fall."

Straightening, he walked to the door. Before he left, he looked back at his daughter and nodded. She returned the gesture. They had never been good at goodbyes.

Seeing General Lane leave the room, Clark slipped back in. Lois was staring out the window. She heard him come in, but didn't turn around.

"How much of that did you hear?"

Clark leaded against the wall. "All of it," he answered.

Lois sighed and turned to face him. "So, I'm out of one more school. Aren't you going to laugh like last time?"

"It's not as funny this time. Lois, I'm sure he means well…"

"Of course he does. That's the problem. I don't like being 'managed'. It's not like I _meant_ to wind up in the hospital." She gave Clark a pointed look.

Clark wanted to steer away from any reminders of their earlier conversation… at least until he'd discussed it with his parents.

"Hey, the Community College isn't too bad. I bet you can take some of your classes in town if you want."

"Smallville has a Community College?"

"No – it's just an extension of Lowell County Community College. They teach some of the courses at the high school and at the Library."

"Oh, heck no. I'm not going back to your high school if I can help it."

Clark shrugged. "Well, the drive isn't bad. It's about 30 miles west of our place. Past the Wild Coyote."

He changed the subject. "It's obvious that your dad loves you," he offered.

"I know. He's just a little tight fisted sometimes. I grew up saluting officers, shining boots, and using rulers to measure the folds of my sheets when I made my bed. Now I rarely even straighten the covers when I wake up."

"I think I have something that will cheer you up," he said, handing her a large manila envelope.

Lois' eyebrows rose as she accepted it. Removing the contents, she grinned.

"Yes! This is great, Clark!" It was the information that Lex had given him about the last known whereabouts of Chloe's mother. Lex hadn't known whom it was that they were researching because they had used her maiden name.

For the next hour, they sat and talked about a little of everything, but nothing of great importance. Lois seemed grateful for the company, and Clark was happy when she gained enough of her composure back to start teasing him.

* * *

Lois grabbed her small bag and raked a hand through her hair. She was happy to get out of this place. Her dad hadn't told her who she would be staying with, but she assumed that Chloe would be her escort.

Her nurse rolled a wheelchair into the room and started going over her discharge papers with her. Lois had scrawled her name across the last sheet when Martha Kent entered the room.

"Mrs. Kent," Lois said, surprised.

The nurse turned to the visitor and smiled. "Oh good, I was hoping I would get a chance to explain her prescriptions to you."

Lois was confused. Why would Clark's mother need to know about her medicine? Lois barely heard anything the nurse was saying, and was shaken back to reality when the nurse gently pushed her into the wheelchair.

"Well, let's go!"

When they reached the exit, the nurse waved and rolled the chair back into the building. Martha smiled and pointed to the Kent's truck.

"You ready?" Martha asked.

"I think I'm missing something," Lois replied.

"Did you leave it inside?"

"No, I meant that I'm a little confused. Where's Chloe?"

Martha laughed. "I'm sorry, dear. I thought your dad would have called you. You're going to be staying with us."

Lois followed Martha to the truck and climbed in, shocked into silence.

"Mrs. Kent…" Lois began, as the truck left the hospital parking lot.

"Call me Martha, please," Martha said, briefly smiling at Lois before turning her attention back to the road.

"…Um, okay… Martha. I don't mean to be rude, but why? Sure, Chloe's place is small – but the last time I stayed at your house, Clark was stuck on the couch. I don't want to put him out of his room."

Martha laughed. "Oh, don't worry about that. We've worked everything out."

Lois stayed quiet for a little while, watching the passing scenery. Knowing Clark, he had told his parents about their little adventure. She wondered what they thought of her now.

* * *

Clark bounded up the stairs to his loft. He noticed Lois standing next to his telescope, looking out on the fields.

"What are you doing out here?" he asked.

Since he saw the truck outside, he knew that they were back from the hospital. He'd thought she would already be inside the house.

The night before, they had cleared out the attic. It had once served as a loft bedroom before it became storage space. After a good cleaning, some airing out, and the addition of a few pieces of furniture, it was ready to be lived in.

"I don't know." Lois answered. "When we got here, your mom said to go on in. She went to talk to your dad."

She gestured out to the field, where Jonathan sat on a tractor next to the fence. Martha was leaning on the fence from the other side and it was apparent that they were in heavy conversation.

"I get the impression that your father might not like the fact that I'm here. I kind of feel like an intruder…"

Clark shrugged and grinned. "Maybe not. But he'll give in. Mom has her ways.

* * *

"I don't like it, Martha. First, Clark gets back from his recruiting trip and the first thing he talks about is running into her. Then, he jumps off of a building trying to keep her out of trouble. And let's not bring up the party."

"Relax, honey. What happened at LuthorCorp was not Lois' fault. Clark did what he thought was best at the time."

"But now she knows something is different about our son. I can't see how having her here is going to make it easier to deny that to her." Jonathan frowned and pulled his work gloves off.

"I don't think there is any denying it now. She's figured out a lot on her own, and if we left her to it, she could get into more trouble trying to figure out the rest."

He ran a hand through his hair. "See, trouble. That's exactly what I'm talking about. I'm glad Clark has a new friend, but they seem to get into a lot of trouble when they're together."

Martha chuckled. "All the more reason to have them both under our roof. At lease that way we can monitor them."

Seeing Jonathan's look, she continued. "Oh, I don't think you have anything to worry about, honey. They are like oil and water. Strictly friends. Besides, Clark told me he wasn't over Lana yet." She sighed. "I think it might be good for him. Something has happened to everyone that has learned his secret. Sure he has us, but he's so alone. Lois may be the one that can hold her own through it."

"She keeps getting kicked out of schools…"

"She wasn't kicked out of the last one. Her dad pulled her out. We talked a little bit on the way home, and I think I understand what she's going through. She's really bright. She just needs to be challenged. I think she got bored with high school…"

"And what? Just stopped going?" Jonathan was having a hard time sanctioning that type of behavior.

Martha simply smiled. "Clark carries an enormous amount of guilt around. I'm afraid that he's always being so careful that he never has a chance to just… be himself. As strange as it sounds, I think he can relax around her. Give her a chance, honey. She's out of her element. Her life has been ripped from her just when she thought she had it under control, and she's seen some pretty extraordinary things – things she hasn't revealed to anyone, out of respect for us. The rent money her father is sending will help a little too."

Sighing, Jonathan climbed off of the tractor and stood facing the fence, across from Martha. He smiled wryly at his beautiful wife. "You always did have a thing for strays."

"Yeah, strays and farm boys. Plus, it gave me an excuse to get you and Clark to clean out the attic!" Martha reached out and stroked his face. "You used to have a soft spot for lost city girls."

Jonathan grinned and moved closer. "I still do. And look where it's gotten me," he teased, leaning down to kiss her.

* * *

In the barn, Clark turned away from the scene. "Looks like you're in," he told Lois.

Lois' brow creased. Martha Kent had her own share of mojo, she decided. "Yeah."

"Come on. I'll show you your room."

* * *

_tbc_


	8. Disclosure

_A/N: Your comments have been so great that I decided to reward you with the next part early. I hope you're happy- this really cuts into my buffer! **;-)** __And for those that read but don't stop… please drop a word or two; after all, if I didn't want to know what you think, I'd write in a vacuum! And now, it is my pleasure to present to you, most esteemed reader, chapter eight. **g**__  
__(Director… cue the music please)_

**Ch 8 – Disclosure**

* * *

Lois watched the scene inside the hospital room with a small smile on her face. 

A pale woman lay in the bed, gazing under low eyelids at the small girl sitting in the visitor's chair. The little girl had pulled the chair next to the bed and was telling her mother a story from a large picture book. The mother smiled at a picture her daughter held up for her to see and then closed her eyes. Not noticing her mother had drifted to sleep, the little girl continued with her story.

Lois reached to brush a tear away. The little girl had no idea that her mother wasn't going to wake up again.

"Lois."

Lois jumped at the sound of her mother's voice. She shook her head- that wasn't possible. The little girl in the room looked up from her book, but the woman in the bed remained still.

"Lois, honey," her mother said again.

This time, a hand shaking her arm made her spin around wildly. As she saw that no one was next to her, the pieces fell into place. She closed her eyes and willed herself to wake up.

The arm shook her again, and she groaned in protest.

"I know sweetie, I'm sorry," Martha Kent said softly, gently brushing the hair off of Lois' forehead. "Doctor's orders. Do you know where you are?"

"…Hospital," Lois grunted, blinking as the light from the bedside lamp assaulted her senses.

Martha frowned. "Who is the president?"

"Patrick Stewart."

At Martha's concerned look, Lois amended her answer. "Well, that's who I would have voted for if he'd been a candidate."

Martha smirked, and tried another question. "What's your middle name?"

"Joanne. Lois Joanne Lane," she sighed, moving to sit up. "And this is the Kent Farm. In Smallville."

Lois grimaced as she moved the covers back and swung her legs over the side of the bed. She was amazed at how weak and tired she was feeling. It seemed odd that a person who had slept for almost an entire week would have little energy.

"I hate having to get you up like this, but the doctors want to make sure you don't relapse on us."

Lois shook her head. No, she didn't like getting the 1am wake up call, but she couldn't fault Martha. She was giving up her own rest to make sure that Lois was okay.

"No, don't worry about it. I'm sorry you have to do this." Lois yawned, and rubbed her eyes. "You must be tired."

Martha tenderly touched the bump on the back of Lois' head. "How're you feeling?"

"Woozy." They exchanged a smile. "But I'm glad that knot is back there. I'd hate to have seen the bruise that would have left anywhere else."

"Here, I brought you some tea. Hopefully it will help you get back to sleep." Martha picked up a mug from the nightstand and handed it to her. "You need to stay awake for at least 10 more minutes, okay?"

Lois nodded and sipped the drink. Fragments of her dream popped up in her mind. "Um… I don't want to keep you up, but would you mind sitting with me for a little while?"

"Sure," Martha replied, moving to sit next to her. "So, Patrick Stewart, huh?"

"Yeah. I love his accent. He's kind of sexy for a bald guy. Then again, I haven't met Lex Luthor face to face yet."

Feeling better, Lois joined in when Martha began laughing.

* * *

"So what do you expect me to tell her?" Clark asked dejectedly, looking across the table at his father. 

Jonathan rubbed his jaw with a calloused hand. "Son, we've been hiding your secret for 14 years. Can't you see that I'm just trying to protect you? We'll come up with something to explain the whole thing. Lois is the only person who saw you in Metropolis. No one would believe that she knew what was going on, especially not after she suffered head trauma."

Clark poked at his scrambled eggs with his fork. In the kitchen, Martha frowned.

"I'm tired of lying, Dad."

"What? Now you just want everyone to know about you? Your abilities?"

"No. I just mean, I'm tired of having to back peddle to cover up stuff. She remembers us jumping off the roof! Even if no one else would believe what she says… if she tries to figure it out, it might make people start asking questions again."

Jonathan frowned and rose from his seat. Lacing his hands behind his neck, he looked up to the ceiling in frustration.

"I don't see why you felt the need to bail her out after she broke into LuthorCorp. Couldn't you have just let her talk her way out?"

Martha's mouth opened in surprise at her husband's comment.

Clark dropped his head. "I guess… maybe… No. I dropped from the ceiling and there she was! It scared me… I wasn't expecting to see _her_ of all people. If I had left her there, they probably would have pinned those explosions on her. Now that Lionel is out, she could have ended up a lot worse… maybe even dead. I was just doing what I thought was right…"

Martha narrowed her eyes and leaned against the kitchen counter, waiting for husband's response. Jonathan glanced at his wife and turned to look at Clark again.

"You're right, Son. You did your best. It just puts us in a bad position." He rested his hands on the back of the chair he'd just vacated. "I just don't know that we can risk it."

"So, more lies," Clark sighed.

"Clark, I'm trying to protect _your_ secret."

Clark met his father's gaze and answered in a wry tone. "Yeah, but you're not the one living the lies, are you?"

Martha's eyebrow rose at her son's reply. It wasn't often that Clark allowed anger to break through his mild persona. If it were another day and a different conversation, she might have stepped in and demanded that he mind his manners… but he was growing up... And he had something on his mind.

* * *

Lois reached the bottom of the stairs and felt the weight of the tension in the room. Clark was sitting at the table, engaged in a silent war of wills with his father, and Martha was leaning against a counter waiting to declare a winner. 

This family's non-verbals were going to drive her insane, she thought, sighing.

Martha looked up at the sound.

"Lois, come get some breakfast."

Lois glanced toward the pair at the table. "You know… I'm not really a breakfast person. I think I'm going to get out of your hair for a while… maybe go over to the school and work out my classes or something."

"Well, get yourself some coffee at least. It's fresh!" Martha began pouring some of the brew into a mug.

Lois fought the temptation to give in to the craving and shook her head, taking a final glance at Jonathan. "No, thanks. I think I better go…"

She moved toward the door. Behind her, Martha caught her husband's eye and glared. Jonathan caught her meaning.

"Lois," he called, as she pushed the door open.

She halted and turned around, standing half outside the house.

"Come, sit down. Please."

* * *

Lois nodded her gratitude as Martha placed the mug of coffee on the table in front of her. 

"So this is where you pull out that little pen thingy and make me forget everything, right?" Lois quipped once everyone was seated.

Jonathan's brow creased in confusion while Clark and Martha smirked.

"I mean, this is the ideal setting for the Vulcan Mind Meld, you know." When Jonathan's expression didn't change, Lois looked under the table.

"What are you looking for?" Jonathan was perplexed by her behavior.

Lois' head popped back up. "My sign. You know, the one with an arrow pointing to my mouth that says 'Insert Foot Here'."

Martha laughed and Jonathan smiled in spite of himself. At least she had succeeded in relieving some of the tension in the room. Having accomplished that, Lois sat back and wrapped her hands around the coffee mug. Clark was studiously avoiding any eye contact with her.

Jonathan cleared his throat, and glanced at Clark before returning his attention to Lois.

"Clark told us that you remember jumping from the roof of LuthorCorp. Why haven't you said anything to anyone about that?"

Lois stole another glance at Clark, but he still did not look up.

"Not many people would believe that I did that and lived." She smiled and continued. "The truth is… I have an insatiable curiosity. It gets me into trouble sometimes, but I've learned that not everything needs to be public domain. From what I can tell, whatever is going on with this family… it's… good. I guess, I'm willing to put it on the back burner…"

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Clark finally look up. She could only guess what kind of look he was giving her.

Sheepishly shrugging, she added, "Well, for a while anyway."

Lois blushed in response to the smile that Martha was giving her, and moved to tuck her hair behind her ear.

"Well, I have to get going. Clark, try not to be late for school," Martha said, putting her mug in the sink and taking an Apple Pie from the counter.

Jonathan stood and walked with Martha to the door. Before they exited, he turned around.

"Clark," he began, locking eyes with his son. "Whatever you decide, we'll support you."

Lois took a sip of her coffee. "Those were kind of heavy parting words," she noted, her eyebrows raised.

Clark rose and took his plate to the sink. "Yeah. Lois…"

"No," she interrupted him. "That sounds like the beginning of a Real World confessional. Clark, I'm serious. I saw your face at the hospital. It's okay. Besides, I kind of like the mystery." The smile she gave him was pure Lois Lane.

"So you really don't want to know?" Clark asked quizzically.

"Of course I want to know!" she exclaimed. "But I want you to be _ready_ for me to know… I am actually going to head over to LCC, though." She rose from the table. "Just bite the bullet, right? I'm going to go sign up for my classes. Do you need a ride?"

Clark shook his head. "No. I've got it covered." He grinned, a mischievous gleam in his eye.

Lois' smile grew wider. "Oh, I get it! Can I watch you run?"

Clark's only response was to laugh.

* * *

_tbc_


	9. Infiltration

**Ch 9 – Infiltration  
**

* * *

After school, Clark made his way to The Talon. When he entered he noticed Lois sitting at the counter talking to his mother. 

"Hi, Mom," he called, as he walked toward them.

"Oh, hi honey." Martha glanced at her watch. "If you are here, the after school crowd is not far behind you. I'd better get ready." Smiling, Martha turned to leave.

"Um, Mom," Clark said, causing her to face him again. "I thought I'd go to The Foundation this afternoon…"

Martha's visage darkened but she nodded. "Okay, but be careful. And call us when you get there."

Clark nodded as his mother left.

"The Foundation," Lois said. "Sounds intriguing. Think I can come along for the ride?"

"No…"

"Oh come on! Have some compassion. It's Friday night in Small Town USA and your mother cut off my coffee supply." She spoke up as Clark's mother walked by where they were sitting. "What ever happened to the customer always being right?"

Martha laughed and shook her head. "Sorry Lois, three triple-espresso's while you're still on medication is all I'm letting you have."

Lois turned back to Clark with her hands raised in surrender. "See what I mean? You're going to leave me at the farm... with the cows?"

Clark drooped his backpack and sat on the stool next to her. Leaning closer, he shook his head. "No, it's just that… it's in Manhattan."

"Manhattan?" Lois asked, her brow furrowed in confusion. "Manhattan, Kansas? We can drive there…" She faltered when he shook his head again and gave her a meaningful look. "Oh. You mean the island? As in New York?"

Clark gave a slight nod.

"Holy…!" Lois exclaimed, drawing the attention of a few of the people closest to them.

"Lois!" Clark whispered.

"Wow… I was going to say 'Holy Wow.'" She finished, in a quieter tone. She tilted her head and studied his face. "Seriously? You can do that?"

"Hi Clark. Lois," Lana called as she entered the shop and walked to them.

Clark stood, stumbling a little when his foot hit his backpack. "Lana… Hi!"

Lois arched an eyebrow at him and responded to Lana's greeting with a wave. "Hey."

Turning to face her, Lois smiled. "Lana, thanks for the card. That was nice of you."

Lana shrugged and returned the smile. "You weren't awake when I brought it by. I'm glad you're feeling better. I've had my share of stays at Smallville Medical. The Jell-O could use some work," she finished with a laugh. "So, Chloe tells me you're staying with the Kent's. How's it going?"

"It's really good. I have my own room… tons of acreage," Lois teased. "The only problem is that Kent here is worse than a girl with the time he spends in the bathroom."

Clark glared at her. "Well, _Lane_, that hasn't seem to stop you from coming in anyway!" He turned to face Lana. "We're still working with Lois on boundaries. She gets into everything…"

"Hey," Lois replied.

Clark mocked pain at the playful swat she sent his way.

"I only _looked_ at your telescope… didn't touch it." She winked and started laughing.

Clark caught the innuendo she was hinting at and began to blush. "Lois," he groaned through his teeth. He shook his head but couldn't help but to laugh as well.

Lana frowned, sensing that she was on the outside of yet another joke. "You know what, I better go. My shift is going to start pretty soon. I'll see you guys later." She smiled at their laughter and turned.

"Bye… Lana," Clark said, watching her walk away.

Lois rolled her eyes and pushed Clark back onto the stool. "Oh man, Smallville. You are _so_ lucky I'm here."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Lois shot a glance in Lana's direction. "Sure you don't. But I'm going to save you."

"Hey beautiful," a voice from behind them said.

Lois spun around on the stool to see who the speaker was. She was surprised when she recognized the young man standing in front of her. His light brown eyes seemed to bore into her with intensity.

"Oh… Hi." Her face showed her confusion at his presence.

He grinned and stuck a hand out in Clark's direction. "Hey. My name's Manton Black, but people call me Tony." The more he spoke, the more apparent a European accent became.

As Clark reached to return the handshake, Lois blinked.

"Uh, yeah. Tony, this is Clark Kent. He's my… roommate. Tony was my tour guide on campus today," she told Clark. Turning back to the visitor, she asked, "What are you doing here?"

Tony moved to lean against the counter, inserting himself between Clark and Lois. A muscle in Clark's jaw twitched as he moved back to create space.

"I heard about this place and thought I'd come and check it out."

He turned his head as he took in the atmosphere. "It's nice. So, Lois, I'm throwing a little party tonight. You know, just a way to celebrate the end of the term. Get ready for vacation. Can you make it?"

When Lois glanced at Clark, Tony spoke again. "Your friend can come to, although we might be out past his curfew."

Clark narrowed his eyes in response.

Lois smiled and winked at Clark, seeing that he was bothered by Tony's joke. "No, actually he has other plans, but I think a party sounds great."

Clark wasn't sure he liked the way this Tony character was eyeing Lois. "Lois…" he began as Tony helped her from the stool.

"It's okay Kent, I'll take good care of her." Turning to Lois, he grinned. "How 'bout I give you some directions?"

As they walked toward a table, Clark reached down to pick up his bag. Before exiting, he took a final look at the two of them. He frowned as Lois laughed at something Tony said, and turned to leave.

* * *

"Wow. It's looks like to me you got the better end of this deal," Chloe said as she looked around Lois' room. 

"Yeah," Lois replied, pulling a shirt from a suitcase. "At least my dad is thorough. He sent some of his boys to pack up my stuff and bring it here. Good thing I hadn't gotten around to making my dorm room homey yet."

Chloe smiled and ducked as another shirt flew over her head and landed next to her on the bed.

"So, where is this party we're going to tonight?"

"I don't know the name of it. Tony rented out some club out by LCC. I wrote it down… somewhere." Lois bit her lip trying to remember, then gave up and started pulling clothes out of her suitcase again.

"He rented out an entire club? Sounds like a pretty high roller…"

"Hmm. Yeah, I guess so. I think he's kind of full of himself, but at least we have something to do tonight!"

Chloe mumbled an agreement, and then pulled a shirt from the pile. "Here, wear this one."

Lois turned around and caught it as Chloe tossed it to her. "I didn't even see this! Good pick. Now find yourself one. You are not wearing that striped no-shoulder thing."

Chloe glanced down at her shirt and pouted. "But I like this shirt."

Lois rolled her eyes. "I know you do, hon. But we might find your Prince Charming tonight, and the last thing you want to do is make him dizzy with your shirt pattern."

Chloe scoffed. "I doubt Prince Charming will be hanging out at a club dancing to horrible renditions of 'She Bangs,'" she muttered under her breath.

Lois heard her and moved to the bed. Shoving the pile of clothes to the side, she sat next to her cousin and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"Chlo-Bear, we need to talk about your hang-up on a certain farm boy."

Chloe looked at the ceiling, smiling in amusement. "No, we don't."

Lois just continued to look at her.

"Seriously Lo! I'm over it. I'm really embarrassed by it, but I'm over it. You can't help who you crush on, and I did some pretty crazy things…"

"You almost died."

"Yeah. Good thing Lionel Luthor is behind bars."

Lois' eyes narrowed briefly. Being behind bars hadn't stopped him from sending a psycho killer after Chloe to finish what he'd begun. She wasn't ready to declare Chloe to be safe from harm just yet.

Chloe mistook Lois' look for disbelief in her claims about Clark. "No really. I realized that I wasn't being fair to myself. I was starting to get hurt over the smallest things. Looks, words… Can you believe that I thought I saw something between _you_ and Clark?"

Chloe saw the shock on Lois' face and laughed. Lois had to force herself to laugh, trying to ignore memories of the crazy kiss she and Clark had shared.

"It was stupid, really. You can't make somebody love you if they don't. I think Clark and me make better friends anyway."

Lois smiled and wrapped her other arm around Chloe to complete the embrace. "Well, I'm glad to hear it, because he has some serious 'Girl Next Door' issues. There is somebody great out there for you. But before you even get to _him_, you're going to break a lot of hearts." Lois released her and leaned back. "And, you're right…"

Chloe warily faced Lois, her eyebrows raised in a question.

Lois grinned and stood up. "Prince Charming wouldn't be doing any 'she-banging' tonight, but I think I know a song he'd like…"

Chloe's eyes widened as Lois began an off-key version of "She Will Be Loved."

"Oh no, please stop. Please," she whimpered.

Lois laughed and sang louder as a pillow flew in her direction. Pulling her cousin from the bed to dance with her, Lois continued, "And she will, and she will…"

In the kitchen, Jonathan Kent grimaced and glanced at the ceiling. Shaking his head, he decided that there was no time like the present to tinker on the tractor's engine.

* * *

_tbc_


	10. Foundation

**Ch 10 – Foundation**

* * *

"Hello?" Clark called as he entered the room. The emptiness that confronted him was unexpected. The last time he had been inside this office, it had been filled with globes, artifacts and high tech equipment.

"Kal-El."

Clark spun around at the words. Dr. Bridgett Crosby moved from the open door and walked toward him.

"My name is Clark," he replied, gravely. Remembering what Lex had said, he scanned the room again. "Where is Dr. Swann?"

Dr. Crosby sighed. "I'm sorry. Dr. Swann is… no longer with us."

Clark saw the sorrow in her eyes and guessed what she meant. "Wha… What happened?"

"He was a brilliant gift to this world. A bright star whose time ran out." She smiled softly, not answering the question.

"But with everything he knew, and all the contacts that he had… couldn't he have saved himself?" Clark wondered if his blood would have helped Dr. Swann's condition.

"For Dr. Swann, life was about the journey, not the length of the race… he's no longer in pain."

Clark mourned the loss of the man who could have helped him find the answers to so many questions. How could Lex have known?

"What was Dr. Swann's connection to Luthor?"

"Which one?"

Clark was taken aback at the question. He'd been aware that Lionel had approached Dr. Swann, but hadn't thought Lex had become involved as well.

His mother had told him about Dr. Crosby's visit to the farm that summer. He knew that his secret had been shared with others at The Foundation, but hoped that it went no further.

"I'm hoping that you can help me," Clark responded, uneasily. He wanted to trust Dr. Crosby, but it was hard to gage whether these people were a threat to him and his family.

"You must be referring to the incident that has placed the younger Luthor in prison."

At Clark's surprise, Dr. Crosby smiled and continued. "I have someone I think you should meet."

Clark followed as she moved toward the door. She stopped to take one last look at the room, a grieving look marring her expression, and continued down the hall.

They entered a stark laboratory and walked to the far wall where a man sat at a desk. He wore a skullcap and was bent over a number of papers. Maps and photos with scribbled notes on them covered the wall behind him.

"Clark, this is Edgar Manoux. He was Lionel Luthor's cellmate."

Startled, Clark stepped backwards. "But… he's supposed to be dead."

Edgar jumped up from his seat behind the desk and gave a nervous laugh. "Lucky for me, I'm not though, huh? I'm rather grateful for these Foundation folks. They got me out of there in the nick of time. Yeah, the nick of time. For a while there I was afraid that things were going to go south…he-heh."

"Edgar," Dr. Crosby interrupted, stymieing the flow of words that seemed to pour out of his mouth.

"I don't understand," Clark said, confusion clearly apparent on his face. "What's going on here?"

"The Foundation is here to protect you, Ka…Clark," Dr. Crosby ensured him. "The last time you talked to Dr. Swann, you came to ask him about his conversations with Lionel Luthor. He told you that his involvement with Luthor was in your best interest, and he was telling you the truth."

She laced her hands together and stepped closer. "When Lionel came to see Dr. Swann, we set into motion some measures to keep him under observation. It was obvious that he was too interested in you and your origins. Dr. Swann was able to feed Lionel certain bits of information to make sure he followed the path we wanted him to take."

"Information about what?" Clark asked, beginning to worry about the safety of his family.

"Information about where to find a certain ancient artifact. The Foundation has vast resources. We were able to stay one step ahead of Lionel, and even had things set in motion when he was sent to prison. Because of the information we gave him, he arranged for Edgar to become his cellmate."

"Yeah, I was set up," Edgar inserted, tugging on his ear. "They had an open and shut case with me embezzling 14 Million dollars from Princeton University. I'm a mathematician working on decoding the Dead Sea Scrolls… what would I need with 14 Million…"

"Then you knew he was out of prison? You knew he was going to switch bodies with Lex?"

Edgar fidgeted a bit before pulling a book off of his desk. "There was a theory about that… I really didn't believe it could happen. There's this ancient Mayan legend about body hopping. With the information that Dr. Swann fed Lionel, he had a team find the artifact at an underwater site off the coast of Honduras."

Clark was having trouble following the ramblings of the scientist.

"With Edgar's help, Lionel was able to decipher the writing on the artifact. What he didn't know was that Edgar was working with us. We were able to retrieve the artifact first and remove the crystal, only leaving a small piece of it for Lionel to have in jail," Dr. Crosby added.

Edgar motioned for Clark to move closer to the photos on the wall.

"See this?" he asked, pointing to a symbol. "It's the symbol for water. Water is the element of transference, so... That's what was on the crystal. Legend has it that there are two others."

The symbol that he had pointed out was at the top of a triangle. The bottom points held two other symbols, one of which Clark recognized from the crystal he had taken from Lex's airplane when Kal-El had controlled his body.

"This one is for Fire, and that one's for Air. They are the 3 elements," Edgar continued. "When all three are put together, they lead to a treasure of knowledge beyond all imagination."

"What happens to Lex? I… uh, the stone was destroyed after the switch at the jail."

"Uh oh," Edgar moaned, rubbing the top of his head. He turned to his desk and opened another book.

"Well, legend has it that the body hopping wears off. So… I guess you could just wait. Then again… Dr. Crosby has the rest of the crystal."

Clark turned to look at Dr. Crosby, who nodded.

Clark frowned. "Lionel has taken Lex's body out of the country. I don't think I'll be able to get them in the same room again. And Lionel's body is dying. They're not sure how long he will last. Lex could die in that body!"

"Well, that's a good thing!" Edgar exclaimed.

At Clark's look, he fidgeted. "Not like that, I didn't mean good for your friend… but, well, the body switch thing can't last through death. The Mayans say that a soul is created for one carrier. It cannot stay in a foreign host beyond death."

"Did Lionel know about this? The death part?" Clark asked.

"No, I just figured that part out when I got here. It's all pretty theoretical, though… who would have ever thought these legends to be true?" Edgar muttered, mostly to himself.

"So you are saying that I should just let him die?" Clark looked at the two scientists, perplexed.

"Hmm. Actually, no," Edgar answered. "I would say that's the last resort. There seems to be some problems with that. When one of the bodies dies, that leaves two spirits to clash in the remaining body."

"Edgar, maybe you should tell Clark about the significance of the three crystals," Dr. Crosby prompted.

"Okay, sure. Look at this one," Edgar said, pointing out another photo. "The three crystals were said to have been distributed among ancient civilizations. These writings are some kind of ancient language. It showed up in Egypt, Central America, and even in some caves in Kansas."

Edgar glanced at Clark to see his response to the last bit of information. Disappointed that he didn't seem impressed, he continued his explanation. "Anyway, these crystals show up throughout history. One of the most interesting mentions is about a battle between two witches, one dark and one light."

"Does that mean one good and one evil?" Clark asked, trying to make sense of all the writing he was seeing on the wall.

"Oh, no. I don't think there was a good and bad part to this. The dark and light reference was more toward the ways they went about their magic. The light witch was a member of the noble class, so her influence took place in the government, whereas the dark witch was more of an outcast. They were both trying to get hold of the crystals because it was said that whomever united them would be a god among men."

Edgar leaned close to Clark, as if telling a ghost story. "The strangest stories about them say that they are able to come alive through their descendants. It's so they can continue their quest for the stones." Edgar let out a small chuckle. "I would say that it's crazy, but then again, so is the idea of switching bodies. Hmm." He turned back to the wall and studied it silently.

"The search for knowledge and god-ship has been the downfall of man throughout history. Some say that man doesn't have the capacity to withstand that much power or knowledge, and the quest drives them to destruction. Like the Tower of Babel. Mankind tried to exert himself against the Creator and was struck with confusion." Edgar moved closer to the wall and ran his fingers over the symbols.

After a few minutes of silence, it became clear that Edgar was done speaking. Clark turned to face Dr. Crosby.

"I'm going to need that crystal."

She nodded and beckoned for him to follow.

In another office, she pulled a small nondescript tin container from a safe.

"Dr. Swann said that there would be a day when you would come for this. You realize that this means you are about to begin the steps to embracing your destiny, right?"

Clark frowned at her words. He didn't like the ominous feeling that speaking about destiny brought.

"There's something else I want to ask you about," he said, taking the tin from her outstretched hand. "You gave my mother a piece of Black Kryptonite. Where did it come from? What can it do to me?"

Dr. Crosby smiled and sat on the edge of her desk.

"We don't know. Black Kryptonite is something we fabricated in the lab. For over ten years we have been trying to understand the composition of the remains that came from the planet Krypton. The closest we got to replicating it was that black rock."

"You gave it to my mother to use against Kal-El and you didn't know what it would do? Why would you do that?"

"Your mother was looking for answers. We felt that it was best to give her the rock as something tangible to focus her energy on."

"I don't understand."

"Kal… Clark. What Dr. Swann was trying to get you to understand was that your destiny is really a matter of will. For all we know, that rock had no power at all. It acted as a symbol of her love and humanity. _That's_ what helped bring you back."

"She could have been killed! Kal-El could have killed her!" Clark exclaimed, angrily.

"You wouldn't have let that happen."

Clark rubbed the bridge of his nose. The more he learned, the more confused he felt.

* * *

"So that's the only advice you have for me? To wait it out?" Lex demanded from Clark.

Clark had gone to see him the day after he returned from The Foundation. As much as he felt obligated to help Lex get out, he knew that there was a lot of information he could not share with him.

"That's really easy for you to say. You're able to walk out of here when you want to. You come in here and tell me that this thing will wear off! I'm just supposed to sit here and hope that it runs its course before I die?" Lex spat, disgusted.

Clark grimaced. Lex was really starting to look bad. His eyes were sunken and drawn, and his skin was pale and blotchy. There really was no telling how long it would take before Lionel Luthor's body gave out. Lex's behavior was reminiscent of the time when Lionel had committed him to Belle Reve. Clark feared that this situation would put him on the brink of another breakdown.

Lex flew forward and grabbed Clark by the collar.

"Lex Luthor will never live in a cage," he whispered fiercely.

Clark blinked as spittle hit his face. A couple of guards noticed the exchange and began moving toward the table. As they neared, Clark gently pushed his friend back into the seat. He motioned to the guards that everything was okay, and they stopped advancing but continued to watch them warily.

"You're father left the country," he told Lex, softly. "We don't know where he is, and I don't think he's planning on coming back here anytime soon. But there's something else… something he doesn't know…"

Lex narrowed his eyes as he waited for Clark to continue.

"If this body dies, you get transferred back into the one that is rightfully yours."

"So I should feel better about the fact that I might die because I'll get my body back?"

"I didn't mean it that way, Lex…"

But Lex was no longer listening to him. "I think you should go," he said as he rose from the table.

Clark scrambled to stand as well. Lex walked toward the guards, signaling that his visit was over.

"I'm still trying to figure this out," Clark called to his back.

Lex turned around and faced him. As he put his arms behind his back to be cuffed, he shot Clark a look that he recognized as one of Lionel's cruelest and most manipulative.

"Never. In. A Cage," he sneered.

Then he was gone.

* * *

_tbc... soon!_  
:)


	11. Yuletide

_A/N: What can I say? It's been a productive weekend…_

**Ch 11 – Yuletide**

* * *

Clark smiled as his parents embraced under yet another strategically placed sprig of mistletoe. Christmas had been a welcome distraction from his other worries this year. He decided it was time to play Santa. Grabbing a couple of wrapped gifts from the counter, he yelled out his intentions to his parents and headed out of the door. 

Clark stopped the truck outside of Chloe's building and shut off the ignition. Just as he prepared to climb out, he noticed her leaving the building, a colorful scarf wrapped around her neck.

"Hey Chloe. Merry Christmas."

Chloe looked up surprised to find him there. "Clark, hi. What are you doing out here?"

Clark handed her a lumpy package. "I came by to drop this off."

"Oh," Chloe smirked. "Wow. Thanks. I've got one for you too. Hold on."

Chloe reached into the bag she was carrying and pulled out a gift.

"Should we…" he started.

"Yeah, let's go on three."

They laughed and ripped into the gifts.

"Just what I wanted," Clark exclaimed in mock excitement as he fastened the Sponge Bob watch around his wrist. He held the matching boxers up with raised eyebrows.

Chloe shook her head and donned her new elfin-style winter hat, complete with ears. "Hey, we all agreed to the gag gift deal this year."

"Where's Lois?" he asked, glancing toward the front door of the building.

Chloe frowned. "Lois? You thought she was here?"

"Yeah… Last night she told my mom that she was off to do the 'Christmas With Family' thing. Her dad is still gone, so I figured that meant she was coming by here."

Chloe shrugged. "She came by last night. She stopped by on her way to see her sister."

"Sister?" Clark asked, startled by the new information.

"Yeah. Lucy." She glanced at her watch. "She's in a boarding school upstate. But they don't really get along very well. 30 minutes and they are at each other's throats, so she's probably visiting her mom by now. "

Clark's head tilted in confusion. "Her mom? But her mom's dea…"

Lois' mom was dead. There was only one place you visit dead people. "Oh," he finished.

Chloe rubbed her hands together to get warm. She didn't understand how Clark always looked comfortable in any kind of weather. "My dad is settling down for his long winter's nap now that he's full of turkey, so I'm headed over to Lana's. You want to come along?"

Clark's thoughts were elsewhere. "No thanks. I told my parents that I wouldn't be out long." He reached into the truck and pulled out another gift. "Could you take this to her for me?"

Chloe raised and eyebrow as she accepted the package. Clark Kent passing up a chance to obsess over Lana Lang was not a usual occurrence in Smallville. Then again, it probably would have been pretty uncomfortable since he'd learned about Lana's new boyfriend.

Waving, Clark started the truck and headed home. After parking, he ran up to his room and used his new laptop to connect to the Internet. A few minutes later, he said goodbye to his parents and hit the road.

* * *

"You should warn a person before you sneak up on them… especially in a cemetery. I came here to visit a grave, not end up in one," Lois told her visitor as she turned around to see his face. 

Clark merely smiled and shrugged. Somehow, she had known it was him before looking. He handed her a covered cup and sat on the bench beside her.

"How'd you know it was me?"

"I don't know. I think that I'm beginning to get this sixth sense about you." She lifted the cup and raised an eyebrow in question.

"It's Hot Chocolate. There was a gas station down the road that was open."

Clark turned his attention to the gravesite they were sitting next to. A light snowfall had covered the area with a dusting of snow. He wondered how long Lois had been sitting there.

"Those are pretty flowers," he commented, referring to the white lilies that had been laid on top of the tombstone. "Lilies are out of season aren't they?"

Lois sipped her drink and nodded. "I ordered them flown in from New Zealand. Lilies were her favorite. Mine too." Sighing, Lois tightened her jacket around her. "Not that I'm not grateful for the hot chocolate, but what are you doing here?"

Clark tucked his hands into his jacket pockets. "I thought maybe you could use a friend."

"Don't tell me you went to every cemetery in the city."

"No. Actually, I found it on the Internet. With your dad being in the service, that narrowed it down some. Then I just searched for your mom's name."

"The Internet… that's pretty good sleuthing for a farm boy."

She smiled, but continued to look ahead, lost in her thoughts and memories.

"Nice watch," she said, noticing it when he ran a hand through his hair. "Are you wearing the matching boxers?"

"No," Clark laughed, blushing. "Was this your idea?"

"Nah. I was just part of the post-purchase consultation. I needed to make sure I didn't get you the same thing didn't I?" She laughed and bumped him with her shoulder. "I see you as a briefs kind of guy anyway."

They were silent for a few moments.

"When you said that you were going spend Christmas with your family, we thought you would be at Chloe's. Why didn't you just stay and have Christmas with us? You know you were welcome to."

"Yeah, I know. Watching your family go through your traditions, I realized that even as dysfunctional as my family is, we have a few traditions of our own."

"Like visiting your sister."

She let out a short laugh. "Something she probably wishes I would not do."

"Chloe mentioned that the two of you didn't get along."

"That's putting it mildly."

Clark had questions but decided to allow Lois to tell him what she wanted in her own time.

"Lucy was just a baby when our mother started getting sick. Dad couldn't juggle his job, mom's cancer, and two kids too well, so, we got shipped around a lot. Mostly Luce, though... Growing up, I had to be the heavy. Having a big sister that acts like your mom is not easy. Turns out she's more and more like me, and we clash because of it."

"She didn't want to come here with you?"

Lois smiled and rose from the bench.

"She's going through this angry phase right now. She doesn't remember Mom- yet another thing to hold against me. I had more time with her."

Lois' gaze strayed back to the grave. "Besides, Mom's not there. She's here," she finished, touching her chest.

She turned to Clark and reached a hand out to help him stand. "Want to walk some?"

Nodding, Clark allowed himself to be pulled from the bench. "Have you talked to your dad?"

"He's unavailable. That usually translates to on assignment, outside of the country." She gave him a wry smile.

"So what else is on your list of traditions?"

Clark grinned at Lois' expression. "I just figured we had a couple of hours to kill."

"Okay, if you think you're up to it… there _is_ one more thing I usually do after this."

Clark narrowed his eyes at her grin and followed her to her car.

* * *

"I don't think that I've ever gone Christmas Tree _Hopping_ before," Clark said. 

They had spent the last hour canvassing the streets of Metropolis, trying to find the best decorated tree in the downtown area. They were currently in the middle of Centennial Park, having ended their hunt at the largest tree in the city. Clark jumped as a poorly formed snowball hit the back of his neck, sending wet trails of melting snow beneath his collar.

Lois laughed and lifted her hands above her head in victory. When Clark bent down to gather snow for retaliation, she yelped and took off running.

* * *

Since Clark had called to let his parents know that he would be driving back with Lois, they weren't up waiting for them when the duo stomped into the kitchen a couple of hours after midnight. 

"That's the last time I let you drive!" Lois whispered as she shook off her jacket.

"I'm a safe driver."

"Safe! You drive 5 miles _under_ the speed limit! I think I saw deer running _past_ us."

Clark smiled. He'd purposely done it because he knew it bothered her. He followed her as she headed up the stairs. As they climbed, Lois stooped to pick up a fallen piece of Mistletoe.

"Well, who am I to buck tradition?" She smiled, turning and holding the leaf over Clark's head.

His eyes widened as she leaned closer, wrapping her arms around his neck. A slight fluttering went through his stomach as the faint smell of shampoo mixed in with the smell of winter night air exuded from her hair.

"Thanks for today, Clark. You're a great friend," she said softly, placing a kiss on his cheek.

Smiling, he returned the embrace. "Merry Christmas, Lois."

* * *

_tbc_


	12. Interlude

**_A/N:_**_ This is a little interlude to tide over the masses until the next chapter is posted. I had a couple of requests from some of my friends at the D2C message board for a little scene on the Christmas gifts... so here it is! Enjoy!_

**Ch 12 – Interlude**

* * *

"Okay, so, we're a day late but it's the thought that counts, right?" Lois smiled as she tossed a wrapped package to Clark.

He grinned and pointed to the slim package he'd just placed on the table. "You go first."

She ripped open the gift and looked with surprise at the framed document.

"You framed my first article?"

Clark shrugged. "I figured it might be worth something one day, like when you win your first Pulitzer."

A conflicted expression crossed her face. She lightly ran a finger across the glass over her name. "This is sweet, Clark. Thank you… but you broke the rules! Gag gift, remember?"

"Well, if you feel that way- I could always take it back," he replied, reaching for the frame.

Lois pulled it to her chest and wrapped her arms around it. "Watch yourself, Kent. I tend to be territorial."

Clark laughed. "Lois Lane, territorial? _That's a shocker_," he mimicked.

Lois glared at him. "Just open your gift!"

Smiling, he tore off the paper and opened the box. His eyebrows rose as he held up a black eye mask and cape.

"Like 'The Lone Ranger,'" she explained, fingering the bottom of the cape. "I figure the next time you decide to go leaping tall buildings, you can at least accessorize."

They shared a laugh as he placed the items back into the box. "Okay, if I'm The Lone Ranger… I guess that makes you Tonto, the trusty sidekick."

"Don't push it, Smallville."

"Hey, you could be Silver if you'd like."

* * *

A few hours later, Lois smiled as she placed her gift on the nightstand next to her bed. Clark was certainly full of surprises.

Hearing her phone beep to signal a message, she picked it up and flipped it open.

_"New ringtone received. Do you accept?"_ the message read.

Frowning in confusion, she pressed 'yes' and waited while it loaded. The sound of _The William Tell Overture_ belted from her phone. Her jaw opened slightly when the short tune ended with a shout of "High-ho Silver, Away!"

Going to the door, she yelled down the steps, "Funny, Kent! Very funny!"

_

* * *

_

_tbc_


	13. Discovery

**Ch 13 – Discovery**

* * *

Clark stuck a pencil in his textbook to mark the page, closed it, and laid it down on the desk. This winter was proving to be an odd one, mixing uncharacteristically warm days with rainy ones. Right now, he was enjoying the rays of sunlight that were pouring into his loft. 

Now that school had started again, he found that he was getting a serious case of senioritis. It was getting harder to concentrate on his homework.

He had been shocked to learn that Lois was actually a good student… just not a patient one. If an assignment took her over an hour to complete, she would get aggravated. She'd taken a position with the Community College newspaper, which caused her to spend a great deal of time at the school. Even with those time commitments, she never missed dinner. When Clark had asked her about it, she remarked that once he left home, he'd understand just how life-altering Martha Kent's cooking was.

It was nice to be able to be himself around someone. It didn't mean he missed Pete any less, but at least he could relax in his skin while in his own house. The times when he had tried to show off a bit, she hadn't made a big deal of it at all, somehow aware that it was a blow to his ego. Granted she didn't know everything- just about his speed and strength- but it was still nice to not have to hide. Lois still teased him mercilessly, but they had established an underlying respect for one another, so he returned her remarks with ease and no hurt feelings.

"Kent, are you up there?" Lois yelled, as she stomped up the stairs to his loft.

When she reached the landing, she walked over to him and dropped a folder on his desk.

"Explain this," she demanded, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

Clark blinked in surprise at her apparent anger. With the look she was giving him, he was extremely grateful that he was the one with heat vision.

"Lois, what's wrong?" he asked, picking up the folder.

"Open it."

Glancing at her, he opened it to find a highlighted document inside. Looking at it closer, he discovered that it was a Xeroxed copy of a log of visitors to the State Penitentiary. The name highlighted on the paper was his.

"What possible reason could you have for visiting that monster in jail?"

"You don't understand…" Clark began, closing the folder and standing.

"Damn straight, I don't understand! This is the man that killed his parents, then set out to kill my cousin. The latter part, he did while he was behind bars. Chloe seems to think she's home free, but I think she being naïve. And if she's not going to protect herself, then I have to, because I'll be damned if I have to prepare myself for another visit to the grave of someone I care about."

Clark reached a hand out toward her arm in an attempt to slow her tirade. "Lois…"

Swatting his hand away, she moved out of his reach and began pacing.

"This man killed his parents. His parents! And here I find out that his number one visitor is Clark Kent, mild-mannered farm boy. What are you doing? Counseling him?" She faced him and pointed to the folder. "When I decided to research Luthor's visitors for potential threats to my family, the last name I thought I would find was your's. Clark, he's dangerous!"

As Clark opened his mouth to respond, a car horn sounded. They heard the door slam, followed by a shout.

"Hey! Clark, where are you?"

"Up here, Chloe," he responded.

Chloe ran up the steps and paused to catch her breath.

"Chlo, what's wrong?" Lois asked, walking over to her cousin.

"Haven't you guys heard? It's all over the news and the radio! Lionel Luthor killed himself!"

Lois' jaw dropped in surprise. "You're kidding right?"

"No, seriously," Chloe replied, turning in a circle as she scanned the loft. "You really need to get a radio in here, Clark. Clark, are you okay?"

Lois turned back to see Clark slump heavily into his desk chair. His face immediately turned pale, and he dropped his head into his hands. Lois and Chloe exchanged a glance before Lois walked over and perched on the desk next to him.

She placed a hand on his shoulder. "I realize that this is a shock, but I don't understand your reaction. He can't hurt anyone now."

"Yeah Clark, I didn't think you would be this impacted by the death of the man who's been your family's nemesis since…"

"Chloe, I need you to find Lex," Clark interrupted, with a gruff tone.

Chloe frowned and her mouth twisted into her characteristic half smile. "That's got to be pretty impossible. You told me yourself that Lex changed his cell when he left the country. I can't imagine that he hasn't gotten the news about his father yet, and I don't see him rushing home to mourn a father like Lionel Luther. If Lex doesn't want to be found, there's no way to…"

"I need to find Lex, Chloe. Can you help me or not?"

Chloe, surprised by his short retort, shot a glance at Lois, who was looking at Clark with concern.

"You could try scanning the outbound transmissions from Lex's private plane. FCC monitors them through satellites, so you could probably get a sample of an outgoing call and trace the number. I'm sure GPS would help you pinpoint a location from there," Lois said, her eyes never leaving Clark.

Chloe's gaze darted between the two at the desk. What Lois had said was true. There was no guarantee that it would work, but it was a place to start. She shook her head in wonderment. Lois might actually make it as a reporter some day.

"Yeah. Sure," Chloe replied. "Um, I'll let you know what I find out."

When they heard the car leave, Lois reached for one of Clark's hands, removing it from his face.

"What's going on, Clark?"

Clark sighed and stood up, walking to the loft's railing and staring at the ground below.

"Lionel Luthor wasn't the one in jail."

Lois jumped up from the desk and went over to him. It was just as she feared. "He arranged for a double to take his place in prison, didn't he? And you knew it! Where is he?"

"No," Clark said as he turned to face her. "It wasn't a double. It was Lex."

"Lex Luthor? What are you talking about?"

"The reason my name is on that list so often is because I was visiting Lex. Lionel switched bodies with him and we were trying to figure out a way to reverse it."

Off her unbelieving look, he ran a hand through his hair. "Listen, I know it sounds crazy, but it's the truth. Right after he took over Lex's body, he left the country."

"So… Lex is dead?"

"No. He killed himself, but he's still alive. Back in his own body."

Lois stared at him for a few minutes without speaking.

"Meeting you has changed my perspective on a lot of things, but I'm having trouble wrapping my mind around this. You're going to have to start at the beginning."

"The beginning, " he repeated.

Clark's eyes reached hers as he made a decision. "Okay. Come on. I need to show you something."

* * *

Lana scrawled her signature on the pad and handed it back to the courier. She smiled as she accepted the envelope and turned to walk toward the back area of The Talon, opening it along the way. She stopped when she pulled out an 8x10 photograph and recognized the people in it. 

Jason noticed the change in her expression and walked over to her.

"Lana, what is it?"

"You tell me." She handed him the photograph. "The time stamp on that photo is the day before we met. You told me that your mother was in The Hamptons."

Jason's jaw muscles tensed as he looked at the photo.

"Why did you lie to me?"

"Let's go upstairs," he said, reaching to lead her in that direction.

"Why?"

"Lana, please," he implored, using his eyes to indicate the other people in the shop. "I promise. I'll explain everything."

Once inside her apartment, Lana stood facing him, looks of anger and betrayal warring on her features.

"So, when you told me that your mother was in The Hamptons, was that a lie?"

Jason sighed. He knew that if there were going to be any hope of him reaching Lana with what he needed to say, he would have to come clean first.

"Yes."

Lana's mouth dropped open and she turned away from him.

"My mother was _supposed_ to be in The Hamptons. I unexpectedly ran into her that day, but that was the end of it. I didn't even know you yet, Lana. When all of this stuff with Isabel and the tattoo started happing, I didn't see the connection. I'm sorry."

"You know how I feel about people who can't be honest with me," she said through clenched teeth.

"Yes, I know. I'm sorry. I just wanted to protect you. Lana, turn around please. Look at me."

"I think you should go. Leave your key on the table." Without another word or a glance, she walked to her bedroom and closed the door.

Jason rubbed his jaw and took a final look at the photo before setting on the counter. Taking out his key ring, he removed the key to the apartment and left it on top of the photo.

* * *

_tbc_


	14. Exegesis

**Ch 14 – Exegesis  
**

**

* * *

**"Wow. I really didn't get a good look at this place the last time we were here," Lois said, scanning the cave walls with her flashlight. "In my defense, though, you're not really at your best when you wake up from being possessed. Hey! I think I found a picture of you!"

Clark frowned and walked closer to her. "What do you mean?"

"This one," Lois answered, centering her beam on the drawing of a figure holding a large circular item on his back.

"Can't you see the resemblance? The Titan in Greek mythology who was doomed to carry the world on his shoulders- then there's you and your Atlas Complex; running around Who-Ville trying to save the world." Lois laughed at her words.

When Clark didn't respond, Lois turned her light on him.

"That was a joke, you know."

She turned back to the wall. "So, what's the story?"

Clark moved to a different area and focused his light on another image.

"These caves are Kawatche. They're the people that made these drawings. According to the legend, a man fell from the sky in a rain of fire. With him came some pieces of stone that had strange effects on the people. This cavern hadn't been seen in hundreds of years until the day I fell into it."

"You fell?" Lois looked up at the ceiling. "From where, up there?"

"Yeah, me and my friend were riding motorbikes and I fell through the ground above this cave. The Kawatche people believe that they are descendants of this man. Before he returned to the sky, he promised that he would send someone to take his place. Someone called Naman. When he comes, he's supposed to protect the whole world."

Clark pointed to another image, which showed the figure bearing the weight of 10 people stacked in a pyramid. "He has the strength of 10 men…"

"And apparently shoots lasers out of his eyes," Lois said, with raised eyebrows when she caught sight of another drawing. "Look Smallville, this is really fascinating, but it sounds more like a Scully and Mulder type thing. I don't understand the connection with the Luthors."

Clark walked over the bag they'd brought and pulled out a candle. Setting it on the ground, he walked back to Lois.

"Watch the candle," he told her.

Within seconds, the wick was enflamed.

"Whoa. How did you do that?"

"Heat vision."

"Heat what?"

Clark merely shrugged and shined his light on the wall drawings again.

"Wait, wait, wait." Lois walked over the candle and extinguished the flame. Stepping to the side, she said, "Okay, do it again."

After briefly narrowing his eyes, the candle sparked and relit. Lois walked back to him with her mouth agape.

"All right, you've got the strength thing, and somehow you can command fire, but that does not make you a Nama… whatever. It's probably just those meteor rocks. I can buy that they caused some weird stuff to happen to people… strange bio-chemical reactions to previously unknown interstellar material that fell to the Earth…but it's a large jump to thinking your supposed to be the next messiah."

"Kryptonite."

"What?"

"Kryptonite. That's the name of the meteor rocks because they are pieces of the destroyed planet Krypton."

"Riiight," Lois replied, unconvinced. "And you would know that because…?"

"I was born there."

"Um, I know you act a bit strange sometimes, current situation included, but thinking you're an alien is going a bit far. Are you sure nothing was fried when you got struck by lightning?"

"The date my parents put on my adoption certificate for my birthday is October 18th. That was the day that the meteor shower happened, and the day they found me in a field."

"Huh," Lois grumbled, musing the irony of her first meeting with Clark occurring in a similar setting. "You seem really convinced, and I want to believe that you're not going Cocoa Pebbles on me, but it's getting hard. First, you tell me that the Luthors have done a Freaky Friday, and then you tell me that Mr. All-American is really an upgraded version of E.T.?"

"Lois," Clark groaned.

"Okay, I take that back. You are much, much more attractive than E.T."

"Look, I know it sounds crazy, but it really is the truth. My real parents sent me away because the planet was about to explode. Somehow these meteor rocks followed the ship and caused all these problems."

"You have a ship?"

"Had. I destroyed it. It was too dangerous that someone could find it, and find out the truth."

Lois narrowed her eyes and stepped closer to him. "I know I tease you a lot, so if this is some of elaborate payback scheme, I repent. Now, do you swear that this the truth and that when we get back to the farm, your parents would say the same thing?"

Clark nodded. "Yes."

"Okay," she simply stated, stepping back.

"Okay? You believe me?"

"Yes."

Clark looked at her warily for a minute. "You don't have any questions?"

"I'm going to need a minute to synthesize this new information, but then, yes. I'm sure I'll have a million questions."

"There's more."

"I was afraid of that." Lois sat down, bracing her back against one of the walls. "Well, bring it on."

Clark chose a spot across from her and sat down. With a sigh, he launched into a narration of his connection with Dr. Swann and The Foundation, and the Kent family's history with the Luthors. He finished with the legend of the crystals as told by Edgar, and related the story of Lex's body switch. Clark noticed a number of times when Lois looked as if she was about to ask a question, but in the end, she remained quiet and allowed him to finish uninterrupted.

When he was done, they sat in silence, both idly staring at the flickering candle; it's flame valiantly fighting to stay lit.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?" Clark asked, meeting her gaze.

"I'm sorry that there is no one who can truly understand what it's been like for you."

He was actually relieved that she hadn't tried to claim to understand. No matter how well meaning people were, honesty was better than false empathy any day.

"But you need to keep in mind that you're not alone. Every person that loves you, whether they know everything there is to know or not, is a part of your story."

Lois looked away from the intensity of his gaze and pulled her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around them.

"So," she began, shining her flashlight on the walls above his head. "You really believe that this cave somehow embodies the consciousness of Jor-El?"

"He said so. What else is there to believe? If the Kryptonians could send a ship through space, who knows what else they could accomplish?"

Lois looked doubtful. Clark's story had expressed a bleak outlook for his future. In that moment he had transformed from the easygoing, small town farm kid she was used to, into a broken-spirited man with little desire to seize the day.

His brooding pulled at something in a hidden corner of her heart, and she longed to see that megawatt smile again. After a long silence, Lois felt the need to evaluate his story from a different perspective.

"These drawings go back how long ago?" she asked.

"At least 500 years, I think."

"So, an ancient Kryptonian lands on Earth and promises that one day another one like him would come. I guess that kind of makes these caves a base of some sort. Maybe he did some traveling, visiting with other ancient civilizations and he leaves some crystals along the way. His plan was that when the next super powered guy came along, he would put the stones together, and learn everything he needed to know about life on this planet. _And_ because knowledge is power, that would make him the most powerful being on Earth... I mean, that could fit into what your friend Edgar said, right?"

Clark thought about that for a minute and shrugged. There really was no way to know what to think. "Naman could have been scoping out the planet to get ready to conquer it."

"You mentioned finding a journal of some sort that gave you glimpses into Jor-El's memory. Why was he here? Was he supposed to be the second Naman?"

Clark frowned and shook his head. "No. I don't think so. He hid his journal because he didn't want his father to see it."

"So maybe he was supposed to study the place and the people to see if it was suitable for takeover. Do you have any idea what he found out about it?"

"I know that he fell in love."

Clark turned his attention to his hands. Thinking about Jor-El's feelings reminded him that he had yet to fully experience love himself.

"When I felt his flashback, it was like he was experiencing love for the first time. It was almost as if he'd been repressing all these emotions and being here freed him to… feel. It's hard to explain, but I think he was trying to protect that freedom from his father when he left the pendant here."

"Hmm. You know, one of the biggest complaints people have about how technologically advanced we get, is that we are less emotive and social than we used to be. Sure we can talk to each other across oceans with cell phones and computers, but we do less face-to-face stuff. On the other hand, some scientists say that there's really no need for it. It's supposed to be safer to grow babies in a jar because you can cut out diseases and defects."

"You think that the Kryptonians were so advanced that they had already reached that point, and didn't use their emotions?" Clark tried to follow the logic. It could explain why Jor-El had been so affected by everything when he was here.

"Maybe. One thing doesn't fit though. If Jor-El made the decision to protect the planet from people like his father who wanted to conquer it… why would he change his mind and now want you to do it?"

"Who knows? The only thing I know about him is that he's a monster. He tried to kill my father and only stopped when I agreed to let him take me."

Lois could see him getting angry at the memory, so she attempted to redirect the conversation.

"Okay, think about this. You were in his mind through those flashbacks. What was he like then? Was he like this 'entity' that's been calling to you from these caves?"

"No… actually he seemed nice. I suppose that's why my grandpa helped him. It felt like Jor-El trusted him. I think he wanted my mom and dad to find me in that field."

"So maybe it's not really Jor-El that's in this cave," Lois offered quietly.

"Who else would it be?"

"I don't know… maybe it's a computer program gone a-wire or something! Whatever it is, it was here long before Jor-El. It could have figured out who you were and decided to use you to fulfill some ancient Kryptonian program."

"That's a pretty far stretch."

Lois laughed. "No more than believing that a baby falls from the sky and is raised by farmers until the day he's reprogrammed by his biological father to become the embodiment of the Great Emperor Nero."

"There are some things you just can't avoid." His reply was quiet and sad. "Don't you believe in destiny?"

"Destiny? Sure – I mean, if there's a shirt I've been looking for, and I see it on sale, then I know I was destined to buy it!"

"Lois, I'm serious."

"I know. Sorry. I just wanted to get you to smile. Yeah, I believe in destiny… that life has a purpose. But not in the sense that I have no control over what direction I'm headed in. Everyone has uncapped potential and amazing things that they can accomplish, but it's not written in stone. There's just as much potential to make the wrong choices and miss opportunities."

She picked two rocks from the ground and stood up.

"Look at these two rocks. Right now, they can have the same destiny." She threw one of the rocks into the darkness of the cave to her right. "One of them has gone that way. This one can go the same, or it can go down there," she pointed, indicating the opposite direction.

"Or, I can put it in my pocket and carry it out of here." She dropped to the ground, sitting next to him. "Outside of this environment, a whole new set of destinies opens up."

"The signs were pretty clear…"

"Signs can be misinterpreted Clark, even when they're written on walls."

When he just shook his head in response, she sighed. "What exactly did they say?"

"The one in my ship said I was to be a god among men. 'Rule them with strength. That is where your greatness lies.' That's the basic gist. They all say that my quest is to rule the Earth."

Lois flicked the switch on her flashlight to turn it off. Sometimes too much light blinded people from other possibilities.

"Kent, what do you know about the Greek language?"

"Nothing."

"Well, there are a whole bunch of words that don't directly translate. Take the word 'love' for example. They have a word that means unconditional love, one for brotherly love… passionate love… but in English it's just love. The message in the ship said 'rule,' but another word for rule is 'serve'. _Serve them with strength, Kal-El._ Takes on a whole new meaning, doesn't it?"

"What do you do, read a thesaurus?"

"Sometimes... at night, when I can't sleep," Lois said, nudging him with her elbow.

"Anyway, you said that the Kawatche believed that Naman would come to save the world. They didn't feel threatened by him. Maybe the truth is somewhere in between the two extremes. Maybe Naman would come to help. Help the world save itself. I don't know, Clark. I'm not saying that I'm right. Given everything that we've been talking about, I'm surprised that I'm coherent at all. I just don't think you should assume that whatever greatness you have inside of you is bad."

Glancing at him out of the corner of her eye, she continued. "My mom used to read me these stories by Rudyard Kipling. The 'Just-So Stories' is what the title was. She bought me this picture book of my favorite one so I could follow along. After a while I knew it so well that I could tell her the story from the pictures. It's called _The Elephant's Child_. Have you everheard of it?"

Clark shook his head in response.

"She always said I was just like the little elephant in the story because he had an insatiable curiosity. I remember putting the book in the casket… so she would still be able to read it." Lois smiled at the memories.

"Okay, so the story takes place before elephants had trunks. They had these little stubby noses instead. The littlest elephant in the village was always asking questions and he would get spanked for them. One day he asked why the elephants were supposed to stay away from the crocodile pond, but instead of answering, they spanked him again, so he set out to ask the croc himself. The croc decides to eat the elephant and bites him on his little snub nose. He pulls and pulls, but the elephant is trying to stay on the riverbank, and he's pulling in the opposite direction.

"In the end, his nose stretches longer and longer until the croc gives up. The elephant goes back to the village, and now he's got this long trunk. The other elephants want to spank him, but he's got the upper hand, because he uses his trunk to spank _them_. Plus, he's got other tricks. He can reach food where the others can't; he can spray water, and scratch behind his ears. This is all really advanced stuff for an elephant, you know, so the entire village decides that they need to go see the crocodile so they can get new noses too."

Lois laughed and shrugged her shoulders.

"I don't know why I felt the need to tell you all of that. I guess, my point is, you never know how something is going to turn out. It pays to be a little curious sometimes. For the record, it's hard to fight something when you're running from it."

She got to her feet and stretched.

"You asked me about destiny. It's not about the end. It's about the journey and the choices that you make along the way." Tossing the rock she still held to him, she smiled. "You decide… Now, we better get out of here and see what Chloe was able to turn up."

Clark followed her lead and stood, brushing the dirt off of his pants. He looked at the rock in his hand. He had many questions, questions that had only been getting more complex. Looking up, he watched as Lois blew out the candle flame and tucked her flashlight into the bag.

Somehow, she had understood that in believing that Jor-El was evil, Clark was convincing himself that he couldn't fight that potential in himself. She hadn't given him any answers, but how could she? She had given him something else. Hope.

He slipped the rock into his pocket.

"Lois," he called, walking over to her.

She stood and turned around just as he pulled her into an embrace. Surprised, she momentarily hesitated before wrapping her arms around his waist. They stood there silently for a few moments before he pulled away.

"Thank you."

Lois smiled and placed a hand on the side of his face, framing the wide grin that appeared.

"Anytime," she replied.

At that moment, she realized how dangerously addicted she had become to his smile. Wrapping her arms around herself, she sucked in a quick breath. "Is it cold in here to you? Must be getting late."

Turning, she picked up the bag and headed for the cavern's exit. "Smallville, you coming?"

With a final glance at the walls, he jogged to catch up.

High up on a wall, in a far corner, the symbol of Naman's destined mate - a box surrounding a diamond - glowed briefly before receding back into the surrounding darkness.

* * *

_tbc_


	15. Interruption

**Ch 15 – Interruption**

_"When my father dies, kings will come to his funeral, but when yours dies, his friends will come."_

* * *

"Lex, are you okay?" Clark asked warily, walking slowly into the room. 

Lex looked up from the papers on his desk and smiled. "Much better than that, actually."

He rose and crossed to the bar. Pouring himself a fifth of scotch, he gently swirled the liquid in the glass before bringing it to his lips. He turned to face Clark, tilting his head to the side.

"Listen and I will tell you a mystery. _For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed. Death, where is thy sting?"_

"What?"

Lex inhaled and set the glass down. "There's something cathartic about dying. Preparing yourself to take a final breath, knowing that when you release it, there will be no return. I died, yet I live. I looked into the eyes of death, and delivered my father to Charon; to be rowed across the River Styx."

Clark could almost see the cracks in his friend's psyche. "Maybe you should see…"

Lex looked at him abruptly. "See what? A doctor?" Lex pressed his forefinger to his lips in a secretive gesture. "And if I tell them the truth, what will happen? A full expense-paid trip to a cell of a different sort. I think not. There's a reason for everything that happened, Clark. I was given the power to right a wrong. To restore balance. My father was supposed to die, and like he before me… I erased the transgressions and influence of my father and get to start anew."

Lex picked up his glass again and downed the drink in one draw.

"Do you know where I was when I 'woke' up? An ancient temple in China. He was looking for something. He didn't find it, but I will."

There was nothing he could do here, Clark thought. Maybe it would be best to give Lex some space while he dealt with the death of his father. "I think I should go. I'll see you later, okay?"

Lex chuckled and walked back to his desk. "Thanks for coming by, Clark. And extend my gratitude to your friends as well. The information that they gave you is part of what led me to my path. For a small town farm boy, you certainly have impressive connections."

Clark nodded and turned to exit.

"One more thing," Lex called, his attention back to the papers on his desk. "I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt this time, because that's what friends do. But the next time you insinuate that I need to be locked up, I can't promise that I'll be as forgiving."

Clark glanced at him, but Lex didn't look up.

Once he had exited, Lex smiled to himself.

"Kings and pawns. Emperors and fools," he muttered, closing his eyes and massaging his temples.

* * *

"Five minutes. That's all I'm asking for," Jason assured her, his eyes pleading for a chance to explain. 

Lana searched his face for a moment before nodding and heading to a table in the corner of The Talon. When they sat down, he reached for her hands, but she pulled away.

"I've tried to give you space. I haven't called. I haven't come by, but I'm not willing to just let this go. You don't have all the information you need. I'm going to tell you everything. I didn't have a chance last time. Just listen to what I have to say, then, whatever you decide… that's what we'll do."

"I don't know Jason. How do I know that you're telling the truth this time?"

"Lana, you have to trust someone. From the looks of it, somebody out there doesn't want it to be me."

"What are you talking about?"

"Someone sent you that photo, Lana, knowing that it would cause problems between us."

Lana frowned. "Who would want to do that?"

"I can only think of one guardian billionaire."

"Lex?" Lana scoffed, unbelievingly. "Why would you think he'd want to mess with us? He's the one that gave you a job after the whole thing at the high school."

Jason rubbed his jaw. "Yeah, well, I was strongly encouraged to resign, only after Lex Luthor heard me telling you that I loved you at the hospital."

Lana frowned. She didn't remember that. "You never said anything. Why would you go and work for him?"

"I needed a job. And I wanted to keep an eye on him. I wanted to make sure that he wasn't trying to hurt you."

"Hurt me? Why would he want to?"

"It's just pulling at straws, Lana. Nothing concrete, but you showing up in Paris and getting that symbol on your back… it's a little too coincidental. He's the one that sent you there."

Lana's eyes grew wide. Not having a coherent response, she just slowly shook her head. Jason caught and held one of her hands, gently brushing his thumb over her knuckles.

"Okay, I said five minutes." He looked directly into her eyes. "And I keep my promises, so I 'm going to go. But I'll be back. Think about it. Lana, I just wanted to protect you."

Releasing her hand, he got up from the table and strode to the door.

Clark entered just in time to see Jason finish speaking to Lana. From the look on her face, it was apparent that she'd been upset by the exchange. He decided to make sure she was okay, and headed in her direction.

* * *

Lois took a sip of her coffee and shuddered. Gagging, she tossed the cup into the trash bin next to the vending machine and began rummaging through her bag for change. She would have to settle on a Diet Coke instead. 

"You haven't been down to the club in weeks. I hope you haven't been avoiding me."

Lois looked around and smiled. "Hey Tony." She accepted the quarter he held out and dropped it, along with a few other coins, into the slot. "Not at all. I just hadn't expected journalism to be as time-consuming as it is."

Lois had found that everyone outside of Smallville's city limits considered the Meteor Stories to be folklore. Thus, she'd been forced to expand her investigative skills to bring in newsworthy material.

"Even a budding reporter has a few hours to relax now and then," he replied, bending down to retrieve her drink from the machine.

Lois smirked as he handed it to her. "You've never lived on a farm, have you? There's always something to do."

"Hmm," Tony sighed, bracing a hand against the machine so he could lean closer. "I would love to watch you wrangle some cows."

Lois saw his gaze settle on her lips and placed a hand on his chest to halt his advance.

"Whoa there, Big Ben," she laughed. "I don't remember granting you a Visa to enter that territory."

He moved back a little and threw her a disarming grin. "I know, but you can't fault a man for trying. Oh the things you make me do, Lois Lane."

"You're forgiven, Black. We all have our moments of insanity." Without warning, Lois thought of Clark. Laughing, she shook it off.

Tony's eyes narrowed fleetingly before his charismatic smile returned. "So, we're okay? Friends?"

Lois smiled and readjusted the strap of her bag on her shoulder. "Friends. Just… without the benefits." She held up the can. "Thanks, you're my caffeine savior."

Tony watched as she walked away. He wasn't used to people resisting his charms. Lois Lane was unexpectedly resilient to his powers of suggestion.

And powers they were. Tony had realized at a young age that he was able to do special things. It started one day when he was sitting in class, absently rolling a pencil back and forth… without touching it. Then, another day, while taking a test he had totally blown studying for, he caught the glance of one of his friends and got the answer to the first question from her thoughts.

The flashes of perception and suggestion were brief and inconsistent though. He'd never been able to control the when and where. At least, he hadn't been able to control it until he'd moved to Kansas.

Tony considered himself to be an enterprising man. He'd learned that people were willing to pay great amounts of money for the bits of information he was able to glean from the minds of the unsuspecting. That money had funded his immigration and provided financing for his dance club. Money that- it turns out- was limited and didn't grow itself.

There were other projects housed in the basement of his club that would ensure his future.

Out of his pocket, he pulled a small package that resembled those little mint strips that mouthwash companies sold. Flicking open the top he pulled one out and slipped it into his mouth. These little strips didn't combat gingivitis or bad breath. They provided a boost of a totally different kind.

For the average bloke, the strips dissolved into a liquid form of the drug Speed, sublingually absorbed into the blood stream to provide an instant heightened effect. When he had experimented using powdered residue from a certain green rock to cut the chemical compound, the most unexpected thing happened. It gave him control over those fleeting powers.

After a quick flick of his wrist, he turned around and bent to pick up the can that had just fallen into the soda machine's tray. Yes, control was good.

Earlier, when he'd tried to telepathically send Lois an impulse of attraction, the image that she'd returned was one of that farm kid whose house she was staying at. No, Manton Black wasn't used to being resisted. The fact that Lois Lane was able to so as easily as she did made it all the more important to make her submit.

* * *

_tbc_


	16. Schema

**Ch 16 – Schema**

* * *

"Whoa, whatever you're planning, don't do it," Lois teased as she removed a plate from the dishwasher. "You've been spacing on me for the past ten minutes. The plate you just put away wasn't a clean one."

She laughed as Clark rolled his eyes and opened the cabinet to pull out the now soiled stack of plates.

"I'm not planning anything," he said, avoiding looking at her.

Lois smirked and arched an eyebrow.

"I'm not!"

"Okay." Lois smiled to herself. He really was a bad liar. "But you might want to take the dish towel out of the refrigerator."

Clark groaned and dropped his head. "Okay, okay. I'm meeting Lana tonight."

Lois fought to keep her grin in place as she processed the information. "Really?"

"Yeah, I ran into her the other day at The Talon and we started talking. She was dating Jason Teague, but they broke up a few weeks ago."

When she didn't respond, he looked back to her. "You knew about it?"

Lois shrugged. "Sure. I thought everybody did."

"How come you didn't say anything?"

Lois shot him an amused glance and stepped around him to wipe off the counter. "Um, I kind of missed the point when we graduated to girl talk. So, Rico Suave, you think enough time has gone by for you to make your move?"

"It's not like that. It's just… we never really gave it a chance."

"Uh oh. This is worse than I thought." Lois pulled out a chair and sat down. I definitely noticed the awkwardness between you two. What happened?"

"She felt I wasn't honest with her…"

"And you want to tell her," Lois deadpanned.

Clark frowned at her reaction. "You don't think I should?"

Lois forced her expression back to a neutral one. "I'm not saying that. Hey, I like Lana. She's… a nice gal, I just think you ought to… think about it a little longer."

"I have. _You_ took it well."

"I tend to think that I'm one of a kind," Lois smirked. "It's your call, but be careful."

"Be careful of Lana?" Clark asked with a wide grin. "I've known her forever. I just think she deserves… you think I don't know how I feel about her?"

Lois held both hands up. "Wait, Clark. I think it's a case of unrequited feelings. You've been chasing this girl for your entire high school career…" At his look, she amended her statement. "Since middle school?"

He shook his head.

"Okay, I'm not going any earlier than elementary because it's kind of disturbing, but my point is, you don't really know what you're feelings are because you've both been dancing for so long. When you actually get into it, it might not meet up to the fantasy. You shouldn't feel that you have to bear your soul out of guilt."

Clark sighed. "Thank you for that bit of advice," he replied sarcastically. "Don't you have something better to do other than lecture me?"

Lois stood and tossed a towel at him. "Yes, in fact I do. You remember Tony. He's having another deal at his club. Someday, when you're done moping over The Princess, I'll take you with me."

"Have fun," he grumbled at her back as she headed up the stairs.

* * *

"Nice place you got here, Mr. Luthor. Kind of reminds me of one of my old boarding schools," Tony said, running a hand across the rosewood paneling of the bookcase.

"I'm sure you didn't call to schedule this meeting just to admire the woodwork. Let's get down to business, shall we?" Lex gestured to the sitting area of his office and sat down.

Tony sat across from him. "I hear that you're a man who appreciates information. I happen to be someone with a knack for getting it."

Tony locked gazes with Lex. He needed to find out what Lex sought. When the image surfaced, he smiled. Things were going to be easier than he'd thought.

"Mr. Luthor, you have certain contacts that I could use. I have a project that needs… distribution. And, as I mentioned to your assistant, I'm running low on certain raw materials."

"How does this benefit me?"

"Maybe you're familiar with a certain acquaintance of mine? Lois Lane? You might be aware that she now lives with your pal, Clark Kent. There's certain information that Miss Lane is privy to that you might find interesting." It was a risky bluff, but one he felt positive would deliver.

Lex reached under the table and pulled a custom-made Halliburton briefcase into view.

"Okay, Mr. Black. My associates tell me that your sources are reliable. I'm willing to invest in your business. You'll find what you requested inside the case. If you follow through on your end, there will be more where that came from. I am a little worried that you seem to know your product intimately… hopefully that won't cause a distraction for you."

"Not at all." Tony reached to seal the deal with a handshake.

* * *

"You've disappointed me, Jason," Genevieve told her son, stepping into the plush living area of her hotel suite.

Jason turned around to face her. "Somehow, I am not surprised by that."

"Your role was simple. You were supposed to get Lana to the church and introduce her to Madame Theroux. That was it. Your continued presence is becoming an interference."

Genevieve had always known that her son was a weakling. It was that knowledge that had made him perfect for the part… perhaps too perfect.

"You had her branded!"

"You knew that was part of the plan. It was the only way to connect them."

"That witch possessed her and almost killed me!"

"You know I wouldn't have let that happen."

"I don't know what to believe about you anymore, Mother!"

Genevieve sighed. "You've let your feelings for that girl cloud your senses."

"No. I know that I love her. I won't let you use her."

She laughed at his brashness. "This game is bigger and has gone on far longer than you know."

"You're going to release her. You're going to remove that damn tattoo so Isobel can't touch her, and you're going to leave her alone."

"Oh, really? You know I can't do that. I need her to lead me to the stone."

"You don't need her. I have what you want." Jason pulled a piece of paper out of his jacket. "The map."

His mother reached for it. "How did you…?"

"Isobel brought it to Lana's apartment. I saw where she hid it and took it. Lana has no idea that it even exists." He pulled it out of her reach. "Let her go."

They stared at one another for an extended period of time before she broke eye contact.

"Okay Jason. Whatever you say. _Le ravissement essoufflé et laissent son esprit libéré. Sa paix remplacé_."

Jason nodded and handed the paper to his mother.

"I think I have made the mistake of underestimating you, Jason," she said, running a hand over the face of the manuscript.

"I know. That's something that has worked in my favor." He turned to leave. "Oh, and mother. I plan on using every ounce of my power to protect Lana, so I'd advise you to keep your distance."

Genevieve watched her son leave the room with newfound respect. She knew that it would be the last time she would see him. She had every intention on leaving him alone now that she had what she needed.

After all, the curse had stated that only the one who shared her blood would have the power to bring her life to an end.

* * *

_tbc_


	17. Progression

**Ch 17 – Progression**

* * *

Lois slowly ascended the stairs to the loft. Clark was sitting on the couch with his back to her, and didn't turn around when she approached. 

She could tell from his body positioning that he was brooding again. Walking up, she bent over the couch and hugged him from behind. He titled his head to the side as her chin pressed into his shoulder.

"Lois. Hey. What was that for?"

Lois released him and climbed over the back of the couch to sit next to him.

"Looked like you needed a friend."

"What are you doing here? I thought you were supposed to be out tonight."

She turned sideways and tucked a leg underneath her. "I canceled."

Clark sent her a look. "I don't think Tony would appreciate that too much."

"Tony-shomney," she sighed, rolling her eyes. "He'll live. I told him that I had friend who was going to need some support. Besides, I've got an early morning. Your dad's letting me drive the tractor tomorrow."

"He is?" Clark asked, worried.

"Relax, Smallville. If I can parallel park a tank, I think I can handle a tractor." She crossed her arms and leaned back into the armrest. "So how'd it go?"

"You're just waiting for the chance to say 'I told you so,' aren't you?"

Lois grinned. "_You_ know I was right, and _I_ know that I was right, but what's the point of beating you over the head with it?"

He shook his head and smiled in spite of himself. "I didn't tell her."

"Are you okay with that?"

He nodded absently. "Yeah, I am. It's funny. After all this time that I've loved Lana from afar, it just wasn't the same when I was with her tonight. We talked and it wasn't awkward… it was nice, but there was no fire."

When he and Lana had spent the evening together, he'd realized that he had placed her on a pedestal for all those years. It turned out that while they were pretty comfortable in each other's company, it just hadn't felt complete. And unlike what he felt when he was sitting here with Lois, the atmosphere had been overly serious.

"We've grown apart, and that's okay."

"Okay, it's killing me. I've got to say it at least once." Lois grinned. "I told you so."

"I knew it!"

"I tried! I really did, but you're such an easy target," she laughed. "I have to admit that I'm glad you're done mooning over her."

"I did not moon… much." Putting a hand over his eyes, he tilted his head back and rested it on the couch.

"How could I have been so… pathetic? I really thought she was the one."

"Slow down, Neo. There's no reason to rush out and write vows just yet. Wait until after you graduate at least. Yes, you were pathetic, but it's okay. That's what high school is all about. The chase. Its just that most people do it more than once, obsess over two people a week, and don't drag it out for 10 freaking years."

She patted his knee. "It happens to everybody. You see something that you want. You long for it. You get it, and then you find out it's not really what you wanted after all. Sometimes you just have to grab it so you can know for sure and move on. Take us for example."

Clark sharply sat up and looked at her.

At the movement, she smiled. "There were definitely some vibes going on there. But we dealt with it. There was the tumble, the kiss, and the talk. Now we're good."

Clark blinked.

Lois unraveled herself and stood. "Anyway, you'll live." She reached out to ruffle his hair and headed for the stairs.

Us? Clark replayed the end of the conversation to himself. Jumping up from the couch he leaned over the railing in time to see Lois reach the door to the barn.

"Lois!"

She glanced over her shoulder and arched an eyebrow.

"There was an _us_?"

Lois laughed and shook her head, pushing open the door. "G'Night, Smallville."

Clark realized that he was grinning at empty space and ran a hand through his hair. He reveled in how comfortable things had gotten between him and Lois. It hadn't been that way earlier with Lana.

Many times during the evening, he'd found himself thinking about how Lois would have responded to something they'd said. Lana had spent a lot of the time talking about how Jason had disappointed her.

_After everything that you put me through, you'd think that I would know how to pick an honest guy,_ she'd said.

Serving another shot of guilt on the rocks for Clark Kent, he'd reflected. Ironically, when his conscious had quipped the thought, it had sounded like Lois was speaking to him. Unfortunately, the combination had caused him to laugh aloud, which then led to a botched apology when Lana thought he was making fun of her.

In the end, Lois had been right. Guilt was no reason to bare his soul. That was something you shared because you wanted to.

* * *

Lana answered the door and sighed. 

"I heard you had a date tonight," Jason said, entering the apartment.

"You jealous?"

Jason smiled. "Should I be? If you want me to be jealous, you obviously still feel something for me."

When she looked away, he grabbed her hands and stood in front of her, searching her eyes.

"I'd be lying if I said I didn't," she admitted.

"Lana, I came here tonight to ask you to come away with me. Tonight."

Her eyes grew wide with shock. "Jason, I… leave?"

"I love you. I want nothing more than to be with you. Let's go back to Paris. We never made it to Marseilles. The Mediterranean Sea. There's so much more we were supposed to experience together. You can get back into school there... everything you worked for... we can start again."

"I…" Her eyes darted around the room. "I love you too. I realized that tonight, but I can't just up and leave. There's The Talon to take care of. I need to talk to Lex…"

"No." Jason squeezed her hands. "You can't trust him. He and my mother have been using you as a pawn in a dangerous game. We need to leave Smallville. Forget about this place."

Frowning, she pulled away. "Dangerous game?"

"Come here," he said, pulling her into the bathroom. He pulled her shirt up and motioned for her to look in the mirror. The tattoo was gone.

"Wha… How?"

"They were using you as a conduit for Isobel. I found out that Lex and my mother worked together to get you in Paris. My mother caused the mark, but I confronted her and made her remove it."

Lana ran her fingers over the now blank skin. "This is a lot to take in."

"I know, but I need to get you out of here. With everything that's happened since we came here from Paris, what's not to believe about what I'm telling you?"

Lana's thoughts spiraled in her head. The mark was gone. Her ties to this town were tenuous. Her dreams were linked to the very things Jason was offering… and he was the one she could trust.

She nodded. "Okay, I'll go with you."

He sighed with relief. "Then there's just one more thing I need to ask you." He pulled his right hand into view and her attention was drawn to the ring that decorated his pinky. Gasping she met his gaze.

"Will you marry me?"

* * *

Clark walked into The Talon and looked around. It had been a week since Lana had taken off with Jason. She had told Chloe about their decision to leave Smallville together right before leaving town. It was strange of her to take off like that, not bothering to tie up loose ends, but he couldn't really blame her for avoiding a confrontation with Lex. 

In the aftermath, his mother had been extremely busy trying to pick up where Lana had left off. For his part, Lex hadn't seemed to care much, and handed over the responsibility of running the store to Martha with little thought.

Clark waited until his mother finished giving instructions to her assistant manager before walking to her.

"You ready to go?"

"Oh, I'm sorry honey. I'm not going to be able to leave as early as I thought. There's some more paperwork I need to look over."

Clark shrugged. "That's okay. Here, you take the truck. I'll walk home."

Martha gave him a look as she accepted the keys. She knew he wasn't really planning on walking. "Be careful, okay."

He gave her a boyish grin. "I always am."

"Did Lois mention anything to you about leaving town yesterday?"

Clark frowned. "No, I thought maybe she'd said something to you or dad."

Lois hadn't returned home from school the day before. With Martha being too busy to make dinner, Clark had just assumed that she'd decided to work late at the paper. There'd been no sign of her that morning, though.

"Okay," Martha frowned. "Well, give me a call when you talk to her. It's not like Lois to stay out without us knowing. Then again, many people seem to be acting strangely lately. Bye sweetie."

Clark waved and stepped outside. There was no need to worry. Lois would probably be home by the time he got there.

* * *

_tbc_


	18. Transgression

**Ch 18 – Transgression**

* * *

Lois slowly became aware of her surroundings. 

"God, I hate needles," she groaned lifting her chin from where it had been resting against her chest.

"It didn't really go the way I planned."

She swung around to face the voice. "You drugged me, you bastard."

Tony stepped out of the shadows and smiled. "All you had to do was get in the car, doll. Unfortunately, I had to go to my backup plan when you tried that kung fu crap on me."

Lois pulled at the bondages that securely held her arms and legs to the chair.

"Either you are doing a really good impression of Norman Bates right now, or you have just won a private room at Belle Reve. Are you on something? You don't drug and kidnap someone just because they don't want to answer your stupid questions!"

Tony pulled a chair in front of her and sat down. Grabbing her chin, he held her still as he peered into her eyes. After a moment, he angrily stood, knocking his chair to the floor with the movement.

"What is it about that kid, huh? Is this Kent character worth dying over?"

Her eyes widened. He had really lost a few screws somewhere.

"Is this about me not returning your feelings, because I thought we talked about that? My not wanting you has nothing to do with Clark. I tend not to fall for guys who stalk me."

Tony shot her a look and she grimaced. Insults were probably not the best way to calm a lunatic.

"No. I need his secret, and you know what it is."

He stalked over and grabbed her hair, forcing her to look up at him. Leaning close to her face, he ran his tongue over her ear.

"Rest assured. If I wanted you, Lois Lane, I could have you. At any time."

Wrenching out of his grasp, she forcefully rammed her head into his chin; her eyes watering from the impact and the loss of the strands of hair that remained in his fist.

He staggered back, using a hand to dab at the blood that was beginning to flow from his bottom lip.

"You really shouldn't have done that," he said, spitting a bloody swatch onto the floor.

Keep him talking, Lois thought, as she discreetly worked at loosening the binding on her wrists.

"What are you talking about, Tony? Clark doesn't have a secret. Who are you working for? What do you think you're going to accomplish by tying me up in a basement?"

Okay, note to self, Lois mused silently. In the future ask _one_ question at a time.

Tony reached into the sterling briefcase that was sitting on a nearby table.

"Oh, wouldn't it be so cliché of me to start monologue-ing right now? Suffice it to say that first, all I wanted was to get your farm hand out of the picture because you couldn't seem to see anyone else. Then he became a means to an end. Now, it's become personal. And you, my dear, seeing as you won't help me… you're expendable."

He pulled his hand out of the case and pointed a gun in her direction.

"Now, do you have any last words? Maybe a message you would like for me to give to your boyfriend?"

Lois glared at him. "I just want to let you know that when I get out of this - I'm going to kick your ass."

Tony laughed and released the safety. "Well then, I guess I'd better make sure you don't get out."

A tiny burst of fire accompanied the bullet as it left the muzzle of the gun.

* * *

Clark jogged up the stairs to Lois' room, checking for any sign that she'd come home since he'd last been there. Her car wasn't outside and there had been no messages on the machine. He decided to take a trip out to LCC. She was most likely pulling overtime in the Journalism office. 

He was definitely going to let her have it for making his parents worry.

In under a minute he arrived at the school, scanning the emptying lot for her car. When he found it, he sighed and began walking toward it, planning on passing it on his way into the building. Just as he walked by, a faint sound caught his attention. When he made out the theme of 'The Lone Ranger' he frowned.

Dropping to the ground, he found the phone behind the front tire. Flipping it open, he pulled it to his ear.

"Hello?"

"Hello… Clark? Didn't I call Lois?" Chloe asked.

"Uh, yeah. She… forgot her phone. I thought she might be calling to see where it was, so I answered." Clark decided there was no reason to worry Chloe until he knew what was going on.

"Really?" Chloe scoffed. "That's hard to believe. That thing is practically stapled to her hip. She even ordered the waterproof version so she could take it in the shower."

"Have you talked to her?"

"No, I left her a message this morning but she didn't call me back. Is everything all right?"

"Sure," he answered lightly. "Everything's fine."

"All right, well, have her call me." Chloe sounded doubtful. "Hey Clark, did she tell you about how that Tony guy was starting to act weird?"

Clark frowned as he tried to remember. "Um, she mentioned that he was a little put out when she canceled on him a few weeks ago, but that was it."

"Hmm. It's probably nothing, but he followed her the other day when she came by The Torch. She got him to leave, but she looked pretty angry."

Gritting his teeth, Clark forced himself to not get angry at the fact that Lois hadn't told him that Tony had been bothering her.

"Thanks Chloe. I'll keep an eye out for him."

* * *

"Where is she?" 

Tony jumped at the sound of the front door to the club banging open. Smiling at his visitor, he walked toward him with a hand outstretched.

"I could have sworn that door was locked, but hey, come on in."

Clark's eyes narrowed as he advanced on the shorter man.

"I'm not playing games with you, Tony. Where is she?"

"And here I thought you came for Tea." Tony sighed and lifted both hands in surrender. "You'd be looking for Lois, right? Kind of a handful, isn't she?"

Clark noticed a small line of dried blood on the corner of Tony's mouth. Angry, he pushed him against the wall, holding him there with two hands against his chest.

Tony took the opportunity to lock eyes with his attacker. He found that he was unable to draw any image other than that of Lois from Clark's furious gaze. He was turning out to be just as worthy an opponent as Lois was. Tony decided to go on the offensive.

Clark suddenly released his hold on Tony, falling backwards as images flooded his mind.

He saw Lois, her head lifelessly resting against her shoulder, bound to a chair. Another image flashed and he saw Tony pointing a gun at her at close range. He saw her eyes and mouth go wide in horror as the trigger was pulled. Then, there was blood. Too much blood. And just as his stomach lurched in response to the sight, one last image swam into view. Lois in the chair. Lifeless, as her head dropped forward, her chin resting on her chest. Her shirt covered with blood.

Clark's jaw bulged as he fought the impulse to double over. Tony smiled in victory. The thoughts rolled from Clark in waves. Now that he was unfocused and grieving, Tony had free access to everything. He just needed to reestablish eye contact.

"What did you do?" Clark's voice broke as he tried to erase the images from his mind.

Tony inched toward the table and the silver briefcase that sat on top of it. With small movements of his fingers, he began mentally commanding the latches to unlock.

"Just taking care of a minor complication."

Suddenly, Tony found himself pinned against the wall once again, a forearm pressed against his windpipe. Tony was shocked – he hadn't seen Clark move.

Clark held himself in restraint. It wouldn't take much more than a little increased pressure to close Tony's throat forever.

Tony clawed at the arm pressed against his neck. His mind was reeling from the blast of images that he was receiving from a distraught Clark. It was overload. Numerous disjointed thoughts that didn't make sense flashed at an incomprehensible speed. There were a few strong ones that stood out from the rest. Pain. Rage. Sorrow. Regret. Blood.

"You had no right," Clark growled. "She was my…" His voice faltered. He didn't know what word to use.

* * *

_tbc_


	19. Confirmation

**Chapter 19 - Confirmation**

* * *

Lois groaned and swore under her breath as she saw the blood covering her shirt. The ringing in her ear had faded, giving way to heavy throbbing. She could have sworn that her heart had relocated to her head. 

She didn't know whether psychos were good shots or bad ones. If he had intended on taking a chunk of flesh out of her right ear, then Tony's aim was marvelous. Who would have thought that much blood could come from an ear? On the bright side, it had stopped bleeding.

She struggled to loosen her hands to no avail.

"One thousand and one uses for duct tape, and it just so happens that I get tied up with the stuff," she muttered to the empty room.

The tape around her ankles had been looped around the legs of the chair. She could release her legs if she could get tilt the chair far enough back.

"Aw, hell. This is going hurt."

Rocking from side to side, she managed to gain enough momentum to get the chair to briefly balance on the two left legs. With a fierce lean, she rocked the chair to the right, sending it – and her – crashing to the floor.

She held her breath as her shoulder took the brunt of the fall. Finally she was able to kick her legs free from the chair, although they were still bound to each other. Rolling free from the chair, she maneuvered into a position that allowed her to work her bound hands beneath her thighs and legs, and eventually pull them in front of her.

Having accomplished that, she was able to use her teeth to rip the tape around her wrists. When her hands were free she attacked the tape around her ankles.

Standing, she gingerly felt her ear and scowled. The amount of flesh that was missing wasn't large, but that fact didn't lessen her anger. Turning, she scanned the room for something to use to pick the lock on the door.

* * *

Clark fought to keep down the bile that threatened to defy gravity. Tony didn't deserve to live. He pressed a little harder, watching as his victim's face turned red. 

Suddenly, he pulled back, throwing Tony to the side as he released him.

"She wouldn't have wanted me to…" he said, a memory of Lois at the caves entering his mind.

Tony's arms flailed as he landed on the table, causing it to splinter and break apart. The motion sent both him and the briefcase to the floor, its contents spilling as it tumbled.

He reached for the gun as it skidded across the floor with one hand, using the other to massage his bruised neck.

"Then you're the fool," he spat, pointing the gun at Clark.

To his surprise, Clark instantly fell to the floor, grimacing in pain.

Tony frowned and walked over to his adversary, confused by the sudden turn of events. Tony reached down and picked up one of the green rocks that had fallen from the briefcase.

"It's this rock, isn't it?" he asked, smiling at the tortured expression on Clark's face.

Tony shook his head as he began to piece together the information he'd acquired over the past few minutes.

"Amazing. Utterly amazing," he mumbled. Bending down, he placed the meteor rock on Clark's chest, still aiming the gun at his head.

Tony's eyes went wide as Clark wrenched and screamed in pain.

* * *

Hearing the shriek, Lois forgot about trying to be quiet, and upgraded her trot to a full out sprint. She stopped just as she reached the doorway leading to the room that the noise had come from. When she saw Tony holding a gun to Clark's head, her stomach flipped. 

It was time to let Tony collect on her earlier promise.

The first kick sent the gun flying across the room, unreachable by either of them. Having the advantage of surprise gave her the upper hand initially, but Tony had the benefit of psychotic energy.

Blocking a blow to the head, Lois braced herself as one landed in her abdomen. She responded with a roundhouse kick that sent Tony into a wall. She followed with chop to his already sore Adam's apple; a hit that sent him to his knees, coughing.

He dodged her next kick, using a kick of his own to take out her balance leg. As Lois fell onto her back, using the momentum to roll backwards, Tony scrambled for the gun. He was still fighting to breathe as he picked it up and backed toward the exit.

Lois hopped to her feet, getting some satisfaction in the fact that he was barely able to stand. When he stumbled backwards through the door and turned to hobble away she was tempted to give chase. Instead she ran over to where Clark was laying and snatched the Kryptonite rock from his chest.

Gathering all of the scattered pieces, she stuffed them into the case and shut it, setting it as far away from Clark as she could get without leaving the room. She rushed back and knelt by his side.

"Come on, Smallville," she whispered, placing a hand on his forehead.

His skin was clammy and damp, but his breathing seemed to calm more as every second passed. Changing her position to sit on the floor, she pulled his head into her lap. Idly, she began running her fingers through his hair.

After a few minutes, she was relieved to see his color return. She kept stroking his hair, knowing logically that her ministrations weren't the reason for his recovery, but needing to maintain contact nonetheless.

Without opening his eyes, he spoke. "I thought… I was coming… to save _you_," he said, attempting to catch his breath.

Lois smiled in relief, and grabbed one of his hands. "Yeah, well. The next one's all yours."

She supported his arm as he struggled to sit up.

"Tony?"

She shook her head. "We'll find him later."

Clark took in her appearance, from the bruise on her forehead to the blood that covered her shirt. The images that Tony had somehow transmitted to him earlier surfaced, making him shudder. So much of it matched with what he now saw that he needed proof that she was real… that she was there.

Reaching out, he ran a hand up her arm. When he reached her shoulder, he squeezed it lightly, and sighed.

"I thought you were… I saw you… the gun, the blood…"

Lois inched closer and put her hands on his arms. "It's okay. Clark, It's okay. I'm right…"

Her sentence was cut off as he pulled her closer and pressed his lips to hers. It wasn't a passionate kiss; missing the heat they had created the first time. It was soft and relenting, a message of relief and confirmation being communicated through each caress.

The kiss ended, but they didn't pull away, their foreheads joined and gazes locked. Clark trailed his fingertips along the side of her face.

"I was going to kill him," he said, his voice low and barely audible. "I wanted to. I kept thinking that he'd… taken you and…"

He traced the red stain that had created a path from her right ear to her shirt.

"Shh… it's okay," Lois repeated, placing a hand on his chest.

"No." His brow creased, and he pulled back so he could see her face. "I was angry, and I almost let it control me. It was scary. It wasn't me… and the only thing that I could focus on was you. I didn't think I'd get the chance to tell you… to touch you…"

"Clark, look," she instructed, taking his hands in hers. "I'm right here. Everything's okay."

As she met the intensity of his gaze, the adrenaline rush that had carried her throughout the entire ordeal began to wane. There was something about their nearness to one another that made the hair on the back of her neck stand up. The emotions that were threatening to surface were not ones that she was prepared to deal with. If she gave in, she wouldn't be able to control where they took her – and Lois Lane was always in control.

He had just kissed her. Well, technically, she had reciprocated… so it wasn't all one sided. But it wasn't _that_ kind of kiss… was it? Lois mentally smacked herself. Of course not. It was a life affirming kiss- the kind you have after realizing that the last thing you confronted didn't take you out. That was it.

Besides, it was too early in her life to start getting misty eyed and weak. Love made you do stupid things. Wait- scratch that- not love… something else.

Clark was a friend, a very good friend, something she didn't have very many of. Her dad had dragged her around the world like a spare piece of luggage, never stopping in one place long enough to grow roots. She'd learned that if you didn't let your guard down, you wouldn't get hurt.

She forced herself to smile and took a deep breath. Clark's eyes were so beautiful… expressive, she corrected her traitorous thoughts. She could tell he would fall if she let him. She wouldn't.

"Lois, I…"

"Need to get out of here," she finished for him, pulling her hands away and standing up.

Clark frowned, confused with the change in demeanor. "Huh? No… I was going to say…"

"We need to call the police," she interjected, putting her hands on her hips and turning away from him. She needed to break the spell of his gaze. "But not until I take a look around this place to see what Tony was into."

The mention of the man that had started this drew him out of his reverie. Clark jumped to his feet.

"We should just let the police handle him. If we wait too long he'll get away."

Her composure regained, Lois turned to face him. "Tony was convinced that you had some type of secret. I just want to look around to make sure that all he had was a hunch. Then I'll call the police." The loss of adrenaline was allowing the first hints of pain to surface. She needed to get moving again before it became full blown.

"I'm coming with you."

"No. We don't know if there's anymore of that Green Death laying around," she said, gesturing toward the silver case on the other side of the room. "So it would probably be best if you get out of here. Plus, you said yourself that the cops get suspicious when they find you at a crime scene. It's okay, go on."

Clark ran a hand through his hair as he contemplated their options. She was right about both the Kryptonite and the police. He didn't know how long it would be before Sheriff Adams decided to start her own investigation of his family simply because he was suspiciously alwaysin the right place at the right time. He couldn't let that happen.

Then again, they had no idea if Tony would be coming back or not. Now that she was back where he could see her, he didn't plan on letting Lois out of his sight any time soon.

"I'll stay here until you're done looking around, then when you get ready to call, I'll go across the street somewhere out of sight."

"Fine," Lois sighed, aggravated that he wouldn't just listen to her but realizing that further argument would waste time.

"Fine."

* * *

_tbc_


	20. Damascus

**Ch 20 – Damascus**

* * *

Lex Luthor laced his hands together and focused his attention on the man who had just been escorted into his office.

"Mr. Black, you look a little worse for the wear."

Tony smirked and casually approached the desk. "All in a day's work."

Lex tilted his head and narrowed his eyes in scrutiny. "So what do you have for me?"

"Nothing much actually," Tony replied, running a hand over the top of Lex's desk. "Your friend Clark Kent is above… reproach, I would say." His hand lightly brushed the edge of the laptop before he pulled away.

He strolled over to a side table where a chessboard was sitting, the pieces arranged in mid-play. He reached out and moved the white knight, placing the black king in check.

"He's remarkably…normal. I'm sorry if that disappoints you."

Lex rose from his seat, his patience waning. "What is the status of the other project?"

"Yeah, that. Um, regrettably, it has been sidetracked a bit."

"Sidetracked?"

"Yes. There was an… altercation at my club today. Hence my appearance," he answered, gesturing at his disheveled clothing. "At any rate, I'm pretty sure that the police have bagged and tagged everything there by now, including what was in my lab. But hey! It's only a minor setback. With a little more funding and a new headquarters, we can have this thing running in no time."

Lex released a short laugh. "There are two things that I have no tolerance for. One is failure. The other is a person who wastes my time. Unfortunately, you have done both."

Tony's arms were grabbed from behind by two large men. As they pulled him from the room, Lex turned his back on the scene. He had no time for imbeciles. Manton Black was too much of a loose cannon.

Sitting behind his desk once again, he opened his laptop and pressed the button to power it on. When the machine did not respond, he pressed the button again. He heard the fan start and sat back.

Smoke began seeping from the back of the computer and a clank was heard before the fan sputtered to a stop. Gritting his teeth, Lex slammed the top closed, and reached for the phone. The hard drive on this laptop held his only remaining copy of the information he'd been collecting on the Kent family.

* * *

Tony's final minutes of life were spent reflecting on all of the knowledge he had usurped from people over the years. None of it compared to what he had learned from Clark Kent. He regretted having to mar the beauty of Lois Lane by shooting her, but it had been a necessary evil. 

Clark Kent's purpose was greater than his own. He wasn't sure if Kent knew it yet, but their paths had crossed for a reason. Even without the aid of his supreme insight, Tony knew that Clark had been extremely close to crossing the line and killing him. By making the decision to not take another's life, Clark had taken a step closer to what he would become.

"It has begun," Tony said to himself, unsure of where the thought came from.

As his vision faded, he smiled, remembering how he had used his remaining drug-enhanced power to fry Lex's laptop.

In the end, no one would know that Manton Black's final act had been his greatest.

**_Damascus Road_**_: The place where you decide to serve that which you once persecuted._

* * *

_tbc_


	21. Valediction

**Chapter 21 – Valediction**

* * *

It was the police who actually found Tony, or rather found his body, alone in his car on a desolate stretch of Highway 56. The cause of death was an apparent overdose of the drug he had been producing in the basement of his club. 

With the added bonus of having a first hand perspective of the event, the article that Lois wrote about the drug bust was considered to be topnotch reporting. It was picked up by a few large papers including _The Daily Planet_, and stemmed a few follow-up pieces on exactly how an unknown college student had almost become a small town drug lord.

When she wasn't chasing down information for her story, Lois made a few trips to Metropolis General to have her ear repaired. Since the damage wasn't too bad, the initial surgery had just involved stitching the skin and cartilage together where the bullet had removed flesh. The follow-up visits had been to ensure that everything was healing as desired.

Jonathan joined her on the last trip to have the stitches and gauze removed. A side trip on the way home had been scheduled to dispose of the briefcase full of Kryptonite Lois had stashed before the police arrived.

"There you are," Lois said, as she reached the top landing of the stairs to the loft. "Did you miss me?"

With the aftermath of the Tony debacle, they hadn't seen much of each other. With a grin, Clark rose from his desk and walked over to her.

"You're back." He was tempted to reach for her hand, but ended up stuffing his hands in his pockets instead.

Smiling, she turned her head so he could see her ear. "So what do you think?"

"It's looks good." When she turned to face him again, he squinted. "It's a little smaller than the other one."

She narrowed her eyes in mock disgust. "Yeah, that was an unforeseen side effect. I never realized how attached I was to this thing until some idiot tried to shoot it off."

Clark laughed. "So you've gotten pretty famous around here with the whole… thing at the club." He waved a hand in the air. He still didn't feel comfortable saying Tony's name after everything that had happened. "I hope it hasn't gone to your head."

"Of course it has! I get free coffee at The Talon because there's always somebody who wants to hear the story first hand." She flopped dramatically onto the couch, doing her best imitation of a movie star distressed by the amount of attention she received.

"You get free coffee at The Talon anyway," Clark countered.

She sat up and glared at him.

"Yeah, but not the fancy kinds- _and_ I've got good news! During my trips to Metropolis I've been able to make contact with the powers that be over at Met U, and they are re-admitting me. The catch is that I have to do a stint in summer school so I can be admitted as a sophomore. On top of that, I scored an internship with The Planet!"

"You're leaving?"

Her shoulders dropped at his tone, and she shifted her position on the couch.

"Not for another couple of weeks. LCC is going to let me email my last term papers in to finish my courses, and I need to get settled in with The Planet. Some stupid rule says that I have to go through Met U orientation again, even though I tried to explain that I'd already gone through all of that nonsense…Sorry, you probably don't want all the details."

Clark tried to match her excitement. "No, it's great. Um, I guess those last few articles upped your chances for the internship, huh?" he asked, moving to sit on the couch next to her.

Lois smiled wryly at his attempt to be happy for her. "Actually, they said they were initially impressed by some article I did for them about a mental patient. I tried to explain that my cousin was the one that wrote it, but they seemed kind of anxious about a possible fraud issue, so we let it drop. They did like the stuff I've been doing at LCC, though. I'll have to be sure to thank Chloe for the portfolio boost."

She tried not to get drawn in by the sadness in his eyes. It made her want to forget all of her self-made promises.

"Hey, I know you'll miss fighting over the shower with me, but it's not like I'll be that far away. _And_, I brought you something that should cheer you up!"

Smiling, she jumped up from the couch and reached to pull him with her. "Come on!"

Clark dejectedly followed her to the house. His parents were standing on the porch and turned when the two teens reached them.

"You stay out here," Lois said, reaching for the door handle. "I'll be right back."

Clark glanced to his parents. "What's going on?"

Martha merely smiled while Jonathan reached to pat Clark on the shoulder. "You'll just have to wait and see."

Clark noticed Lois returning, approaching the door backwards. Jonathan reached to pull it open for her, and when she turned around, she was holding a small brown cocker spaniel in her arms.

"You brought me a dog?"

"Well, really your dad did. I just picked him out. On our way back from Metropolis we spotted a family that was selling puppies from their new litter. Couldn't say no. Wouldn't want you to be lonely when I'm gone…" she teased.

The dog yipped and wiggled, so she set him on the ground. They all laughed as he ran to the steps and skidded to a stop, only to turn and run into Martha's legs. She bent down to pet him.

Clark turned to his dad. "You're letting me have a dog?"

Jonathan smiled and bent down next to his wife. "Hey, what's a farm without a dog?"

The puppy rolled onto his back, relishing in the attention of the two adults.

"He needs a name," Lois remarked, perching on the railing. "I was thinking of Clarkie."

Clark rolled his eyes and dropped to one knee to grasp the wriggling mass of fur that was nipping at his sneaker.

"How about not?" he quipped, in reply.

"Well, then what do you suggest?"

"Krypto," Clark replied, laughing as the dog jumped at his chest, forcing him to fall backwards.

"No way," Lois scoffed.

"It's a good name," he protested.

"You can name your next dog, Krypto. This little guy's too cute to be scarred for the rest of his life because of a name."

Jonathan stood and brushed the knees of his jeans off. "You could call him Max or Basil."

Noticing that Martha had sat down, the dog left Clark and climbed into her lap. As she scratched behind one of his ears, she smiled. "I had a dog that kind of looked like this one when I was little girl. His name was Shelby."

"Shelby. I could live with that," Lois said, hopping off of the railing and kneeling by Martha and the puppy.

Clark smiled. "Shelby it is."

* * *

_tbc_


	22. Kindred

**Ch 22 – Kindred**

* * *

Chloe surveyed the room that had been her domain for four years. Her gaze moved to the wall covered with the scraps of paper that had become her obsession. Soon she would have to close the door on this chapter of her life. 

"Do you think you'll be able to see through the walls if you stare at them long enough?"

Chloe laughed and turned to face her cousin, who was leaning against the frame of the open door to the office.

"No, I was just thinking about what it's going to be like not coming here every day. There's no telling what will become of this paper once I'm gone."

Lois straightened and walked further into the room, sitting on the desk Chloe was standing next to.

"Have you thought about what your next move is going to be?"

"Actually, my cousin scored this plush internship with a big paper in Metropolis. I figured I would see if she could work some magic and drop my name to a few of the big wigs," Chloe replied with a wide grin.

"I'll do it in a heartbeat, Chlo. I would love to have you there with me!" Lois narrowed her eyes briefly and tilted her head. "I have a graduation present for you."

Chloe's brow creased. "It's a little early, don't you think? I mean, graduation is a month and a half away."

"I know, but I'm leaving tomorrow and I wanted to give you this before I left," Lois said, raising a large envelope into view.

Chloe accepted it and reached inside to pull out a stack of papers. "What is this?"

"Only what I consider to be the most important investigation of my life." Lois clasped her hands together and set them in her lap.

As she scanned the information on the top sheet, Chloe's smile faded and her eyes grew wide. With a slight tremble, she dropped the papers and the envelope onto the desk. She fumbled for the chair, pulling it out and slowly lowering herself into the seat.

As if frightened of what she would see, Chloe used a finger to slide the top sheet off of the stack, revealing a glossy print.

"Is that her?" Without thinking, Chloe lifted a hand and fiddled with a lock of hair; hair the same color as that of the woman in the photo.

Abruptly she stopped and faced Lois with a troubled expression. "How did you… Why?" Letting out a nervous laugh, she stood up, organizing the items on her desk into a pile. "You know what? It doesn't matter. I don't want to know."

With a shrug and a false exuberance, Chloe turned and made her way toward the far wall.

Lois glanced at the stack of papers and books Chloe had placed on top of the picture and frowned sympathetically. Rising from the desk she walked over to where her cousin was rearranging articles on the Wall of Weird. Lois placed a hand on her arm when she reached to move the same article for the fifth time.

"I don't think you mean that," she said softly.

_You can't escape this Chloe. No woman in our family ever has_. Chloe blinked against the echoes of a nightmare.

"There's a reason why I stopped looking for her, Lois."

"She's your mother, Chlo."

Chloe's hand tightened around the paper she was holding, causing it to wrinkle. "I think she relinquished that responsibility thirteen years ago." She waved a hand in the direction of the papers on the desk. "And from the sound of it, she's been out on her own for quite a while now. She didn't look for me- maybe it's best that way."

Lois took the article from her and pinned it to the wall, attempting to smooth the creases. "I don't know. She had just watched her sister die of cancer and had a nervous breakdown."

Lois's gaze grew distant as she wondered what type of reaction she would have had if she had been in the same situation. With The General off playing Captain America, her aunt had taken over everything: the girls, the hospital trips, the medicine… and eventually, the funeral.

"She might have been ashamed to come back to you after all those years. It was around the time your dad moved out here… maybe she couldn't find you. Those are questions you need to ask her."

Chloe noticed the wistfulness in her tone and realized that her mother was Lois and Lucy's last connection to their own loss.

"Have you… tried to contact her? I mean, just because I don't want to doesn't mean that you…can't."

Lois reached to tuck her hair behind her ear, subtly swiping at a threatening tear as she did so, and faced Chloe. "No. Of course not. She's your mom, Chloe. If you don't want to talk to her- that's your call. I'll follow your lead on this. My mom is gone. Nothing changes that, but you have a choice here."

Lois grabbed Chloe's hand and smiled. "I'm not saying that you should do anything. Just… think about it okay?"

Chloe frowned and nodded. "Yeah."

"Hey, if you decide to forget all this and come to Metropolis, I'll do everything I can to make it work." Lois took a short breath and composed herself. "Now, I need to get back to the farm so I can pack the car with all my stuff. I head out pretty early in the morning. I wonder if I'll get a desk at The Planet. That would be so cool."

Chloe smirked. She knew it was more likely that Lois would see more copy room action than anything else.

"All right, well, I'll call you," Lois said as they embraced. "Bye, baby."

"Bye, Lo," Chloe responded with a quick squeeze.

After Lois had left the office, pulling the door closed behind her, Chloe walked to the desk and slowly uncovered the papers Lois had given her.

She didn't know what her next steps were going to be. She had been accepted to Met U and at the time when she'd gotten the news, it had seemed as if all her goals were on track. Ever since she had moved to Smallville, she had been counting the days until she could return to Metropolis… and one day, The Daily Planet.

She held up a piece of paper and studied it. She needed more time to consider it, but it seemed that her life journey was about to take a detour.

"Gotham City."

* * *

_tbc_


	23. Egression

_A/N: This one's for you, Lee. Thanks for the messages on my site! & thanks to all the reviewers at D2C and Ksite. I hope you enjoy!_

**Chapter 23 – Egression**

* * *

Clark stood with his hands tucked into the pockets of his jeans and surveyed the land. The yellow farmhouse that had seemed so much larger to him as a child was a sight that would forever mean home to him, no matter where his life would take him. 

His thoughts turned to the last four years. His high school experiences would definitely be something he would remember for the rest of his life. He wondered if anything he would come across in the future would be able to compare.

A smile came to his face as he thought about the time when his greatest worry had been to make it to the bus stop on time, or making sure to find Pete and Chloe at lunch. But now everything had changed. Pete was gone - his absence during senior year the start of a distancing that would be hard to breach. Lana was gone – finally able to put the small town life behind her. Chloe was gone – brazenly determined to find her place in the world.

He sighed.Weren't they all.

He then smiled, remembering how he had stood and whistled as Chloe had taken the stage to give her Salutation speech, clapping in support of his best friend.

**_- Flashback -_**

_"Someone comes up here and gives this speech every year, trying to put the last four years of our lives into perspective. As we go through life, it won't be my words that you remember- you probably will hardly remember who it was that gave the speech. What you will remember, though, are the people you met and the relationships you had. If you're lucky, some of those people will still be on speed dial. Unfortunately, most of them will just be a face in a yearbook, a story you tell. You'll remember the look on your best friend's face the moment they found out that you lied. And then you'll remember the feeling you had the moment they forgave you. That glorious day when you look into the eyes of the person you'll pledge to love forever, you'll remember the person you thought you loved in high school and be thankful that you lived through the pain... Not to say that you lovebirds out there aren't written in the stars or anything! Your GPA will be just another number. You'll hardly think about the B you worked so hard to get in Advanced Trig… or the F you tried to white out on your report card. But you'll remember the teacher that gave you a hard time because they knew you had more potential…"_

Hearing the sound of a camera flash going off, Clark felt the need to turn around- he wasn't sure why- people had been taking pictures throughout the ceremony. He turned to see Lois standing near the rear of the auditorium, pointing a camera in the direction of the stage. After taking a picture, she turned and winked at him, before moving to get a closer shot.

He shouldn't have been surprised to see her. It was graduation, after all, but she'd been so busy with Summer School and _The Planet_ that they hadn't talked.

After the class of 2005 finished flipping their tassels and throwing their hats, Lois practically tackled Chloe with a congratulatory hug. When parents and families began joining the students, Clark turned to face her.

"So you made it."

"Of course I did. It's Chloe's big day."

"That's the only reason?" he asked, knowing from her expression that she was going to make him work for it.

"No… I wanted to say hello to your parents, too."

At that moment, the people in question were talking to Chloe and Gabe Sullivan.

Clark rolled his eyes and smirked as Lois gave him a playful punch.

"I wanted to congratulate my favorite farm boy as well," she laughed. "So, how does it feel to be released on the world? I never made it _my_ ceremony."

"Yeah, you never told me why," he commented as they walked toward their families.

"Family issues. Lucy ran into some trouble at school and I needed to go and straighten some things out. Not the first time," she finished under her breath.

Clark stopped walking. He didn't think General Lane would have been that hard on her if he'd known that was the case.

"You didn't tell you dad about it," he stated, knowingly.

"No," she responded, shaking her head to emphasize the word.

"As far as The General is concerned, Lucy is the perfect daughter. That's all he needs to know. I hadn't figured to be sent to the stockyard, though," she laughed, indicating the school with a wave.

"I had already been accepted to Met U so I figured the last semester wasn't a big deal. Hey, go over there next to your folks. I want to get a picture."

**_- End Flashback -_**

With his thoughts focused back in the present, Clark stooped to pick up the basketball sitting in the grass near the drive. Tossing it into the air, he jogged over to the makeshift court, stopping about fifteen feet from the hoop. Dribbling, he reflected on how he had almost declared undying affection for Lois right after the Tony debacle. He was actually glad that she had stopped him. He wasn't sure why she had, but it was obvious to him that she wasn't ready.

And that was probably for the best. Without having her near him twenty-four seven, he'd had a chance to think. He couldn't claim to have too much experience in the relationship department. He liked Lois… a lot. But maybe it was too soon to call it love. Heck, last year at this time, he would have said he was in love with Lana.

For all he knew, he might just have a soft spot for L's. Which was the point. He didn't really know himself that well yet. Still trying to figure it all out. What he felt for Lois was different… stronger than what he he'd ever felt before. Probably because she knew more about him than anyone else did.

Like Kyla, he thought, sadly. A beautiful woman he didn't have to hide from. Could that be the same with Lois?

The truth was, his worldly experience was rather limited. His brief trip to Miami with Bart had been evidence to that. Other than the few trips to Manhattan, and the trips to Metropolis, Clark really hadn't been subjected to the world outside of Smallville.

He lifted the ball above his head and aimed for the square on the backboard. He grimaced when the ball bounced off the side of the rim, and ran to catch it before it hit the ground, jumping to lay it in after the rebound.

Sometimes the shots didn't fall until you warmed up. Maybe the same thing goes for love too.

He set the basketball down and walked back toward the house. Sports were not going to be his future after all.

After much discussion with his parents, he'd decided that he wasn't going to take the football scholarship to Met U. They had been very supportive of the decision; he even thought he'd seen a smile peek out from his father's sympathetic expression. He just hadn't wanted the hassle of cheating drug tests and physicals. If high school football had been a trial, college would be a hundred times worse.

Conversations had turned to his other educational options. His father had promised that they would do everything in their power to make sure Clark went to whatever college he wanted to. The debate ended, however, with the information he'd received the last time he visited the caves.

"It is time, Kal-El," the voice had warned. Clark didn't know if it was Jor-El or a machine, but he needed to know what it had to do with his destiny.

According to it, he needed to find the third stone. The stonescouldn't fall into the hands of anyone else or there would be disastrous consequences. A package from Dr. Crosby containing a copy of the map he'd seen at the Luthor mansion the night Bart snuck in had sealed the deal. His journey began today.

The screen door of the house slammed shut as his mother stepped outside. Seeing the wistful look Clark was giving the barn, she walked over and rubbed his arm.

When had he gotten so tall? Smiling at the thought, Martha wrapped her arms around him. "You ready to go?"

* * *

Clark finished lacing his shoes and stood, picking his backpack up as he did so. He had just passed through the security check at Metropolis International Airport. It had been harder than he'd expected to say goodbye to his parents. 

Not that he'd expected it to be easy… but it felt like they had been saying goodbye for the past week. The moisture in both his mother's and father's eyes attested to the fact that the hug they'd shared right before he'd gotten in line to be x-rayed had been final.

Glancing at his ticket, he headed toward his gate. When he arrived, he sighed and set his bag on the floor. This was it.

"You weren't thinking of leaving without saying goodbye were you?"

Clark was momentarily speechless. "I… didn't know how." It was true for the most part. He hadn't said anything to anyone other than his parents.

Lois narrowed her eyes at him. "For future knowledge, a phone call is better than nothing at all."

He shrugged apologetically. "How did you know?"

"I have my sources."

"My mom called you," he nodded, smiling.

"Surprisingly, no," she replied, tilting her head back in a self-satisfied pose. "It was your dad actually."

"My dad? That's… unexpected." Something dawned on him. "How did you get through security? You have to have a ticket." She didn't look like she was getting ready to take a trip.

"True, but you can get through if you you're escorting a minor or a non-English speaking traveler. You see them over there?" she asked, pointing to a group of Chinese co-eds sitting to the right of the gate desk. "I convinced them to let me pose as their translator so I could get an escort pass. It's kind of scary though because my Chinese is limited to 'hello' and 'where's the bathroom,' not to mention that I think they speak English better than I do."

An awkward moment of silence passed before Lois spoke again. "So, China, huh? Is that a summer-before-college trip?"

"No… It's a one way. I don't know when I'll be coming back."

She was composed enough to not let the shock show on her face and covered with sarcasm. "Let me guess. You got another message from the Cave Man and got spooked. You're running again?"

"Yes and no." He smiled at her confusion. "I did get another message, but this time I'm leaving so I can figure out what it all means."

"Embracing your destiny?"

"More like considering my options." He rubbed his jaw thoughtfully. "Someone once told me that it's hard to fight something if you're running from it."

Lois shook her head and smiled. "Must have been a pretty smart girl."

"Brilliant, actually- but I never said that it was a girl."

"Just a hunch."

_"Announcing flight # 9586 to Los Angeles with continuing service to Shanghai at gate B15. Pre-boarding will begin shortly. Please remain in the gate area."_

Reacting to the intercom announcement, Lois pulled a greeting-card sized envelope from her pocket and handed it to him.

"Thanks," Clark said, reaching for the flap.

Lois's hand shot out and covered his, stopping him from opening it. She blushed at the quick motion and pulled her hand away.

"Open it on the plane," she mumbled, biting her lip and looking away.

"Okay," he agreed, giving her a questioning look. He bent down and tucked the envelope into his bag.

"So…" he sighed once he'd stood again.

"So…"

They seemed to have reached a conversational impasse.

"Have you talked to Chloe recently?"

She brightened at the introduction of new material. "Yes! She tells me that Gotham is a pretty weird place… not Smallville weird, but she say's it's got some dark secrets that she is determined to uncover."

Lois smiled fondly while talking about her cousin. "She's going to be pretty pissed that you took off without saying anything."

"I kinda figured that she had enough going on right now. Has she made contact with her mother yet?"

"No. She's still working up to it. I'm just really glad she's there."

"How are things with you… you know, at The Planet?"

Lois met his gaze. "Great. Really great."

He wondered if they were talking about something else for a moment.

Then she smiled and continued. "They tried to make me a copy girl when I first got there. Can you believe it? Not only do I have a problem with 'girl' being part of the title, but it's such a waste of my talent. One day, I'm going to run the investigative department, just watch. Speaking of which- I got a really great break when I did this story exposing a stolen car ring. Front page, above the fold. The first piece comes out tomorrow."

Clark grinned when she finally stopped to take a breath. "I don't want to know what you did to break that story do I?" Lois had a tendency to throw caution to the wind.

Lois laughed. "Probably not."

She glanced at the people milling around the gate. It was as good of a time as ever to say goodbye. "Well, be safe," she said, turning to face him.

"I should be saying that to you." He flashed the megawatt grin again. "Thanks for coming. It means a lot."

"I guess I'll see you around… Smallville," she smirked, hitting his shoulder lightly with her fist. She scrunched her nose… hitting was high school.

She stepped in and wrapped her arms around his waist.

Clark got over his surprise quickly and pulled her close. His chin dipped as she turned her face to lie against his chest. This was the type of thing that had made him want to follow her like a lost puppy. It had been so long since he had felt her in his arms that he was hesitant to move in fear that she would step away.

Feelings that he'd tucked away began to resurface, and heclosed his eyes, trying to immortalize the memory of her feel and scent.

_"We'd like to welcome you to flight 9586 to Los Angeles, continuing on to Shanghai. Pre-boarding will now commence through the door on my right. Passengers with small children or anyone needing extra time in boarding may now approach the gate. Please remove your boarding passes from the jacket to assist…"_

"I guess you'd better get ready to go," Lois sighed, still holding onto him.

He wondered if he had imagined the catch in her voice, and pulled back to look into her eyes. Noticing that they were extra bright, he placed a hand on the side of her face.

She leaned toward him, stopping a few inches from his lips to smirk; an eyebrow arched in challenge.

He cleared the rest of the distance without hesitation, brushing her lips lightly with his before moving to latch onto her bottom lip. He was pleased that she was meeting him move for move. When he dared to brush his tongue against her lips, she immediately granted him access.

Neither of them was aware of anything happening around them. The noise and movement of their environment faded, as they were only able to focus on each other.

The kiss eventually broke as Lois smiled.

Clark gazed at her expression. "What?" He couldn't help but feel like he was on top of the world.

"They just called for open boarding."

They had been so preoccupied that they had missed his group being called. She stepped out of his embrace, maintaining contact by holding his hand.

He rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb. "So, I should go."

"Yeah."

"Yeah," he repeated. He moved back in and was momentarily once again lost in her presence.

_"…Final boarding for flight 9586. All passengers should now be on board."_

Clark lifted his head to glance at the gate attendant. She was looking at him with an amused expression. He was obviously the only passenger not yet on board.

Lois couldn't help but smile as his arms tightened around her one last time. She had seen couples in a deadlock embrace at airports – but she'd never imagined that she would be in one.

"I'll call…"

"No promises, okay?" she interrupted, a hand caressing the back of his neck. She realized that whatever he was about to get into would require all of his attention and energy.

_If you love something let it go..._

Nodding, he pulled away and reached down to grab his bag. As he jogged toward the door to the jet way, he heard her mumble, "You're wearing my lip-gloss."

Blushing, he rubbed his lips as he handed the attendant his boarding pass. He turned to wave as he crossed into the tunnel, the closing door blocking her view of him.

Clark ducked his head as he made his way down the narrow aisle of the plane. By the time he found his row, he was sure that his face was permanently red- a number of women had given him knowing smiles as he passed.

"That's me," he said, pointing to the window seat. "Sorry."

He stepped back to let the other two people in the row stand and move into the aisle.

"Sorry," he repeated as he slid into his seat, stuffing his bag under the chair in front of him. He fidgeted awkwardly, attempting to reach for his seatbelt and move his long legs into a comfortable position.

Once securely fastened in and settled, he let out a short breath. He pulled the emergency card out of the seat pocket in front of him and glanced at it. He quickly returned it to its place, hoping he wouldn't need the information any time soon.

The middle-aged woman in the seat next to him smiled.

"First time flying?" she asked.

"Uh… not really... Just never for as long as this flight is going to be."

She chuckled and held up her magazine. "I fly all the time, but I still don't like the takeoffs. It helps to have something to read."

Clark smiled in reply and she turned back to the article she was reading. Abruptly he remembered Lois's envelope. He leaned forwardto pull it from his bag.

Pulling at the flap, he opened it to see that instead of a card, the envelope held a picture. It was face down as he pulled it out and there was writing on it.

_I hope you find what you're looking for. –L_

Flipping it over, he gazed at the picture of Chloe, Lois and him from the day of his graduation. He vaguely remembered taking the picture. Martha had taken Lois's camera and insisted that she get in the picture. In full agreement, he had pulled her in, wrapping his arms around both girls.

Chloe was laughing, her wide smile captured in the shot as she faced the camera. Lois was frozen in mid protest, her eyes sparkling with amusement as she looked up at him. He was grinning and looking down at her, prepared to respond to whatever snarky comment she was about to dish out. He couldn't help but to notice how closely he was holding her. To a casual observer, it lookedas ifa telling moment had been captured and preserved on film.

If memory served him correctly, though, there had been no moment, as they had immediately faced the camera and dutifully posed as the adults clicked away.

When Clark looked up, he realized that the plane had backed away from the jet way and turned to take it's place in the line for take-off. The new positioning put his window in sight of the terminal, and his enhanced vision allowed him to make out Lois's figure standing in the window.

He watched her until the plane rolled past, catching her mouthing 'Bye' as she moved out of sight. Smiling to himself, he lightly ran a finger over the picture and considered the inscription on the other side.

_I hope you find what you're looking for._

He wondered if he already had.

* * *

_Fin._ (After all, every season must end, so the next can begin, right?) 

**Teaser: **

**When Worlds Collide 2 - Collision Course**

_March 2010_

Clark Kent reached to massage the back of his neck as he marveled at the remains of the ancient Aztecan temple. He tried to imagine what it had looked like during the time when the ancient civilization that had built it thrived.

He'd been all over the world in the past five years. When he arrived in China five years ago, he'd found out that the map hadn't been a map at all. It was a drawing of the temple from a position outside of it. When he'd found the location, it had only served as a clue leading somewhere else. There were times when he felt like he was on a crazy treasure hunt. There were also times when he felt like he wasn't the only one searching.

He'd learned a great deal about every civilization he'd encountered. It was like a real life history lesson each day. He had never really paid much attention in his tenth grade world history class – but this was so much more… intense than any lecture could ever be.

He'd studied under a sensei to learn the way of the samurai. His time in Africa had earned him the ability to recount all the animals that had passed through an area within weeks. In Greece, he had reached the peak of Vasilista, visualizing the fantastic tales of the Greek divinity.

As food and supplies grew scarce, he'd had to work, finding a certain comfort and familiarity in doing the labor he once shared with his father. Work as a sailor earned his passage on ships, and farm duties often granted him lodging and a meal. Writing became an outlet, as he described the sites he'd seen, the people he met, and the world he never knew existed.

Sometimes he was able to submit an article to global news services, a small income that helped fund his never ceasing travels. Yet there were still questions he didn't have answers to.

Glancing down at the black pouch in his hand, he took another look at the temple. This was the place where he'd finally found the third stone. It was time to go home.

* * *

**_A/N:_**_Thanks for being such a great audience. I'll see you over at WWC.2!  
We love you Cincinnati! Thank you, and goodnight!_


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